City Of Temecula Proclaims Local Emergency Due To Coronavirus

TEMECULA, CA — Temecula Mayor James "Stew" Stewart said late Tuesday in a released statement that no coronavirus cases have turned up yet in his city, but he announced a Proclamation of Local Emergency based on the rapidly evolving challenges to slow the spread of the disease.

The proclamation signed Tuesday by City Manager Aaron Adams will enable the city to streamline logistical resources and recovery measures needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will
be considered for adoption by the Temecula City Council at its next meeting on Tuesday, March 24, city officials said. Temecula City Council meetings are televised on channel 3.

Visit Riverside County Public Health for the latest on confirmed coronavirus cases in the county, as well as the number of fatalities linked to the disease.

Stewart reminded residents and businesses that a countywide order is in place prohibiting social gatherings of 10 or more people. Read the county order here.

“I urge Temecula to unite with patience and perspective that these restrictions are temporary, and are being implemented to ensure the safety and well-being of our families and neighbors while also minimizing the impacts to first responders, hospitals, and medical providers,” Stewart said.

Under the countywide order, gatherings of less than 10 people must have enough available room to maintain six feet of space between attendees — known as "social distancing."

The restrictions are in place in an effort to prevent a COVID-19 spike that would overwhelm local hospitals and health care provides.

A full list of city of Temecula closures is available at www.TemeculaCA.gov/coronavirus.

“The city of Temecula is underway with creative efforts to support the community during this historic and challenging time. For example, we are ensuring that the temporary closure of the Mary Philips Senior Center does not disenfranchise our elderly and vulnerable population from the low-cost lunches they looked forward to each day so the city, in partnership with Office on Aging and the City’s meal vendor Sodexo, will be offering a week’s worth of meals for curbside pickup each Friday at the Senior Center,” Stewart said.

The city acknowledged its local economy is not immune from this global health emergency and the difficult impacts businesses, hotels, wineries, restaurants, and their workforce are facing with the current countywide restrictions.

The city’s Economic Development Division is refocusing its efforts to seek innovative ways that can support local businesses throughout this pandemic and in collaboration with the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visit Temecula Valley, according to city officials.

Stewart advises everyone to follow the directives of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help slow disease spread.

“Wash hands frequently, clean and disinfect surfaces often, sneeze or cough into your elbow or a tissue, and practice social distancing but also find ways to check in on your neighbor, buy takeout
food from restaurants, purchase items from local stores online, and let Temecula be the example of calm and kindness to each other and to our local businesses because we are all in it together, and this too shall pass.”