South Pasadena Takes Additional Precautionary Steps For Coronavirus

From the City of South Pasadena:

March 13, 2020

SOUTH PASADENA, (Calif.) – The City of South Pasadena (City) is taking additional steps to protect the public and slow the spread of corornavirus (COVID-19).

Effective Monday, March 16, all city facilities will be temporarily closed to members of the public except for public meetings of the City Council, the Cultural Heritage Commission, Planning Commission and Design Review Board, which will continue to meet to ensure the approval of projects move forward as required by law.

“We are all in this together, and as the situation around the coronavirus continues to evolve, the health and safety of our residents remains our top priority,” said South Pasadena City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe. “We are following the City of Los Angeles’ lead and taking addition steps to slow the spread of coronavirus through closing City Hall in addition to our other City facilities. We will provide full details on these changes and how our residents can continue to receive City services on Monday, March 16.”

These precautionary measures go into effect following recent state and county guidelines to cancel non-essential gatherings of more than 250 people, limit gatherings of high risk populations (such as seniors) to no more than 10 people and practice social distancing. There are currently no cases of COVID-19 in the City of South Pasadena.

Public safety and public works emergency response will continue.

The City will continue to assess the situation and may make additional changes as needed.

City closures, cancellations and changes to City services are effective as of Monday, March 16, and will be re-evaluated at the end of March and are noted below:

City Hall

• Temporary closure of City Hall to members of the public – except for public meetings of the City Council and the Cultural Heritage Commission, Planning Commission and Design Review Board, which will continue to meet to ensure the approval of projects move forward as required by law
• Transition of other city services (such as utility bill payments, public works permits and plan check fees) to online, by phone or, in certain cases, in person (by appointment)
• During this time, there will be no water shutoffs and late fees will be delayed

Public Safety

• The South Pasadena Police Department front counter will be open during regular business hours
• All police and fire services will continue

Library

• Closed beginning March 16
• Due dates for all items extended to April 15
• Reference services will be provided by phone (626-403-7350) Mondays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Fridays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Senior Services

• Senior Center will be closed beginning March 16
• Senior Lunch Program to continue with the following modification:

- Box lunches will be provided for pick up or delivery only

• Dial-a-Ride program to continue with the following modification:

- Rides will only be provided for essential trips, including doctor’s appointments and grocery store or pharmacy trips

The City recommends that seniors stay active, healthy and connected through eating well and exercising at home.

Recreation

• CampMed program to closed
• Facility reservations, programs and classes to be cancelled until the end of March

Special Events

CANCELLED

• Women’s Self-Defense, March 14
• Happy Birthday South Pasadena! Staying Great Since 1888, March 15
• CERT Class, March 21
• Women’s Self-Defense, March 21
• Teen Advisory Board Movie Night, March 25
• Climate Action Plan Public Meeting at Council Chamber, March 26
• Library Volunteer Recognition Luncheon, April 17
• Eggstravaganza at Garfield Park, April 18
• Earth Day Event at Library Park, April 18
• Earth Night Event at the City’s Community Room, April 22
• Model Water Efficient Landscape Workshop at Garfield Reservoir, April 28

City Council and Commission Meetings

COUNCIL MEETINGS

• The March 18 Council Meetings will continue as scheduled, only essential business items will be on the agenda to facilitate a shorter meeting and seating arrangements will be modified to reflect recommended social distancing. For more information, visit the City Council webpage.
• Public Comments accepted via email: cco@southpasadenaca.gov
• Meetings will continue to be broadcast live on Spectrum/TWC Channel 19 and AT&T Channel 99 for cable customers who reside in the City; meetings are also live streamed and available for six months on the City’s website; DVD recordings of meetings are available at the City Clerk’s Office

COMMISSION MEETINGS

• All commission meetings will be cancelled with the exception to the Cultural Heritage Commission, Planning Commission and Design Review Board. These commissions will continue to meet to ensure the approval of projects move forward as required by law. Information on upcoming meetings can be found on the City’s website.
• Public Comments on agenda items will be accepted via email, planningcomments@southpasadenaca.gov, until 6 p.m. the day of the meeting. All other planning-related questions can be submitted to askplanning@southpasadenaca.gov.
• During this time, commission meetings will be broadcast live on Spectrum/TWC Channel 19 and AT&T Channel 99 for cable customers who reside in the City; meetings will also be live streamed and available for six months on the City’s website; DVD recordings of meetings will be available at the City Clerk’s Office

“We are regularly engaged with public health officials, partnering jurisdictions as well as state and federal agencies and taking proactive steps to ensure the City is prepared and ready to implement recommend prevention strategies to effectively protect the public,” said City of South Pasadena Mayor Robert S. Joe.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the best way to keep healthy and reduce the possible spread of all influenza viruses are:

• Stay home if you are sick.
• If you have mild symptoms, there may be no need to go to a medical facility to see a doctor.
• Certain patients, such as the elderly, those that are immune-compromised or have underlying health conditions should call their doctor earlier.
• If you have questions, please call the clinic or your doctor before going in. If you do not have a healthcare provider, call 211 for assistance finding support near you.
• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Get immunized against the flu to protect yourself and your family, and reduce the potential strain on the healthcare system, which may be impacted by COVID-19 concerns.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor and respond to suspected cases in the region.

According to the CDC, the risk of infection for the general public is minimal for those who have not traveled to an area where the virus has been detected or had close contact with a patient who tested positive for this type of coronavirus.

Symptoms

Those infected with the coronavirus have reported mild to severe respiratory illness with the following symptoms: Fever, cough and shortness of breath/difficulty breathing. The CDC has estimated that symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

Background

COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. Coronavirus are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and spread.

Additional Resources

• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/
• California Department of Public Health https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
• LA County residents can also call 2-1-1

This press release was produced by the City of South Pasadena. The views expressed here are the author’s own.