SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY—-In an effort to protect the public from further spread of COVID-19, the County’s Acting Health Officer has formally ordered everyone in San Bernardino County to wear a face covering when leaving home.
Face coverings may include coverings that secure to the ears or back of the head and encompass the mouth and nose. Homemade cloth ear loop covers, bandannas and handkerchiefs, and neck gaiters may be used to reduce the spread of COVID-19 particularly among asymptomatic people. Surgical masks and N95 masks must be preserved for healthcare workers and emergency responders.
“Staying home, practicing social distancing and frequent handwashing are far more effective ways to combat the spread of COVID-19, and face coverings are not a substitute for those practices,” said Dr. Erin Gustafson, the County’s Acting Public Health Officer.
Tuesday’s order also says faith-based services must be electronic only through streaming or online technology. People may not leave their homes for driving parades or drive-up services or to pick up non-essential items such as pre-packaged Easter eggs or bags filled with candy and toys at a drive-thru location.
“We understand that this is an important time for Christians around the world and it is natural to want to worship and celebrate with our families. Right now, however, is a critical time for our country and our community – we can still celebrate this time from the safety of our individual homes while we help flatten the curve and save lives,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “When we stay home we help our healthcare workers and our emergency responders and vulnerable populations beat COVID-19.”
Many churches and houses of worship are hosting “virtual” services, streamed online. The County encourages single-family, home-based worshipping and activities, including Easter egg hunts among household members inside the house or in residential back yards.
As of today, San Bernardino County has 530 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the deaths of 16 county residents have been associated with the disease.
The Acting Health Officer’s order may be viewed here. Violation of the order is a crime punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or imprisonment up to 90 days, or both.
For information about the coronavirus crisis, visit the County’s coronavirus website at sbcovid19.com. New information and resources are updated daily. The public can also contact the COVID-19 hotline from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at (909) 387-3911, or email the County at coronavirus@dph.sbcounty.gov.
COVID-19 is changing the way we handle everything from work to play to fresh produce and other groceries. With so much uncertainty and anxiety in the air, it’s only natural to wonder whether that perfectly ripe avocado could be a potentially deadly weapon. But what are the actual facts around food safety? Is now a good time to go vegan, and do I really need to be washing my vegetables in soap and water?We consulted the experts. Some useful best practices and myth-busting below.
Do I need to wash fruit and vegetables with soap?
The debate around giving your fruits and veggies a bubble bath blew up last weekfollowing a viral video in which a family doctor from Michigan said soap and water was a good way to keep veggies COVID-19 free, which sounds like it makes sense (treat your honeydew melon as you would your hands). Since then a whole bunch of experts have refuted this advice, many pointing out that of the 1-million cases of COVID-19 worldwide, not a single one has come from contaminated food. Still not convinced?
Okay, there is also this from the FDA: “Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended.” Jodi Koberinski, a food safety researcher at the University of Waterloo, agrees, noting that dish soap is likely to cause more problems than it solves including nausea, diarrhea, and cramping. “It is not made for and not safe for human consumption,” she explains.
But what if I rinse everything really well?, you may be thinking. The problem is that fruits and vegetables are porous and may absorb harmful chemicals that won’t come out with even the most rigorous rinse.
Okay, but isn’t a little diarrhea better than contracting COVID-19? First off, nobody said anything about a little diarrhea — you can get really sick, and so can your kids, if you have them. Secondly, that question is based on exactly the kind of false equivalency we need to be avoiding right now (along with bars, playgrounds, and IRL hangs). “Technically, it may be possible to contract COVID-19 from the surface of a piece of fruit,” says Koberinsk, noting that is not the threat that people should be focused on. And also that there’s no evidence that soap and water kills the COVID-19 virus on fruits and vegetables anyway. (Ditto for lemon juice, baking soda, and bleach — whatever you do, please don’t wash your edibles in Clorox.)
In other words, contracting COVID-19 through produce isn’t something you need to stress about. So chill out. And then do the same for your produce, washing them in cold (wan-wan) water, which will remove between 90% and 99% of germs and bacteria. For items with tough skin (avocados, potatoes) you can also use a scrub brush. It’s okay to wash that with soap. Same goes for your hands before and after you handle food of any kind.
Should I quarantine my groceries before I bring them inside?
This one is a little more straight forward: No, there is absolutely no reason to leave groceries outside or in the garage or the car, despite what you may have read on that fountain of misinformation known as the Internet. “This is absolutely not a good idea,” says Koberinski.And, in fact, the potential risks of ignoring best practices around refrigeration (ie, putting things that need to be in the fridge in the fridge) make this behavior not just excessivebut dangerous.
“It’s really important to remember basic food safety,” says Koberinski. “Both because best practices haven’t actually changed much. And also because any kind of sickness may weaken the body’s ability to withstand a truly virulent illness.” (Cough, cough, COVID-19.)
By all means, she says, bring groceries inside when you come home from the store. Place your bags and do your unloading on a surface that you can wipe down — with any alcohol-based cleaning spray — once everything has been put away.
Should I disinfect all the grocery packaging too?
Paranoia around packaging spiked last month after a new study showed that the COVID-19 virus can survive longer on certain surfaces (24-hours on cardboard, up to three days on plastic and stainless steel). So you can go to the hypothetical scenario where an infected grocery shopper has contaminated your box of Cheerios, and use this as justification for sanitizing every bit of packaging that passes your threshold.
Or, you can simplify by washing your hands and surfaces before and after all eating. If that doesn’t feel like enough, Koberinski suggests discarding packages rather than disinfecting. A lot of groceries (like cereal and crackers) have a bag within the box. Others can be stored in homemade jars of Tupperware. That way you’re feeling protected without wasting valuable cleaning products, which is probably the more relevant safety concern, Koberinski says.
What about using a UV light to kill the virus on groceries? That wouldn’t waste cleaning products.
UV lights don’t work, either. In short, because the level of UV required to kill COVID-19 is extremely unsafe.
Is now a good time to go vegetarian? I’ve heard meat holds particular threats.
There are plenty of reasons to consider a plant-based diet, but COVID-19 safety is not one of them. Particular worries around meat may come from the fact that the virus is believed to have originated with animals. But as far as food safety goes, that has zero baring. “Heating meat to the recommended temperature is the recommendation, same as always,” says Koberinski.
What about reheating takeout just to make sure it’s coronavirus-free?
Obviously you want to be careful about all food that is coming into your home, and if you don’t feel secure about food safety practices of a particular restaurant maybe just stick to home cooking, since repeated reheating isn’t safe either.
Is there a problem with being extra cautious?
If by that you mean upping safety measures, and erring on the side of caution, then no. Obviously people have every reason to feel scared and since the grocery store is pretty much the only place anyone’s allowed to go these days (as infrequently as possible), concerns around food safety are something we’re all talking about. That’s a good thing, and if COVID-19 gets us to think more seriously about food safety in the long term, that’s good too, says Koberinski. At the same time, she says, “We don’t want everyone turning into a cartoon version of a germaphobe or shelling out big bucks for bogus miracle cures.” Safety is important, but so are the facts.
Governor also announces COVID-19 Testing Task Force to boost California’s testing capacity
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of a new website, covid19supplies.ca.gov, to get critical medical supplies to the front lines of California’s fight against COVID-19. The website will allow individuals and companies to donate, sell or offer to manufacture 13 of the most essential medical supplies, including ventilators, N95 respirators and testing materials.
Governor Newsom also announced the COVID-19 Testing Task Force, a public-private collaboration that will work with stakeholders across the state to quickly and significantly boost California’s testing capacity. The Task Force plans to scale up testing as demand increases.
“These actions marshal the generosity and innovative spirit of Californians to help us achieve two essential goals: getting more lifesaving supplies into our health care system and increasing our testing capacity,” said Governor Newsom.
Governor Newsom called on companies, organizations and individuals who have medical supplies to contribute, either for donation or purchase, to support California’s response to COVID-19 and visit covid19supplies.ca.gov.
Additionally, three specific collaborations have launched today as part of the testing effort:
Collaboration with the University of California, San Diego and University of California, Davis to establish high throughput testing hubs.
Collaboration with Stanford Medicine to launch the first serology test invented in California.
Collaboration with Abbott Laboratories to deploy the first rapid point-of-care test across 13 health care delivery systems and 75 sites.
The Task Force, co-chaired by California Department of Public Health Assistant Director Charity Dean, M.D., M.P.H. and Blue Shield of California President and CEO Paul Markovich, will ensure the state has sufficient capacity and supplies to administer a significantly greater number of tests.
“The Task Force is connecting with laboratories across California to tap into unique technologies to improve and refine our testing capabilities to ensure we’re meeting the needs of patients across the state,” said Dr. Dean.
The Testing Task Force is focusing on:
Ensuring California has lab capacity to rapidly turn around test results and increase capacity strategically to meet demand;
Improving the supply chain to ensure that California can both collect samples and evaluate results without delay;
Enabling new, high-quality tests to launch in California as soon as possible;
Improving our ability to accurately track and evaluate COVID-19 testing capacity, results and reporting; and
Building the workforce necessary to meet our testing goals.
“The Task Force will work together with California academic systems, private systems, public health experts and others to ensure we’re creating the most streamlined and effective way to evaluate testing data,” Blue Shield of California President and CEO Paul Markovich said. “This kind of public-private collaboration will allow us to tap into the systems needed to get the results California deserves.”
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health today announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. California now has 10,701 confirmed cases and 237 deaths. As of April 2, local health departments have reported 156 confirmed positive cases in health care workers. For more information on COVID-19 and California’s response visit the California Department of Public Health website.
Testing in California As of April 2, approximately 94,800 tests had been conducted in California. At least 35,267 results have been received and another 59,500 are pending. These numbers include data California has received from commercial, private and academic labs, including Quest, LabCorp, Kaiser, University of California and Stanford, and the 22 state and county health labs currently testing.
How People Can Protect Themselves Every person has a role to play. Protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense:
Washing hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Covering a cough or sneeze with your sleeve, or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward.
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
Following guidance from public health officials.
What to Do if You Think You’re Sick Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath) and may have had contact with a person with COVID-19, or recently traveled to countries with apparent community spread, call your health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.
More information about what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is available at www.covid19.ca.gov.
California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting California from COVID-19. Consolidated guidance is available atwww.cdph.ca.gov/covid19guidance.
SAN BERNARDINO – Early this week, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution suspending evictions and foreclosures for properties within the unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County. The resolution does not exempt tenants from paying rent, nor does it restrict a landlord’s ability to recover rent, nor does it apply to evictions based on illegal activity or “nuisance.” This resolution applies to residential and commercial properties and is in effect through April 30th, 2020. The termination date may be extended by the Board of Supervisors but cannot exceed the date of May 31st, 2020 per Governor Newsom’s Executive Order.
The Board’s resolution is in direct response to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order (N-28-20) issued on March 16th, 2020, that allows cities and counties to suspend evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution ensures that businesses, landlords, and tenants understand their rights and responsibilities during the COVID-19 crisis. Under the resolution, no one can be evicted for failure to pay rent as a result of being impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, including:
Job loss or layoff
Loss of hours or wages
Missing work due to illness
Out-of-pocket medical expenses
“These are unprecedented times, and I thank the Governor for allowing local government to take action to stabilize their own communities,” said Vice Chair Supervisor Gonzales.
“Due to circumstances beyond their control, many county residents have lost their jobs, closed their businesses, and may be facing substantial medical expenses with unforeseen consequences from sheltering in place. We must do everything within our power to enable our residents to overcome these hardships. I am proud that every city will be able to act on its own behalf to best meet the unique needs of their communities” added Supervisor Gonzales.
The Board also adopted a resolution to strongly recommend utility service providers (gas, water, electric, telecommunications) impose moratoriums on service disconnections and late fees for non-payment until at least April 30th, 2020.
For information about the coronavirus crisis, visit the County’s coronavirus website at wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus. New information and resources have been added and the site is being updated daily. The public can also contact the coronavirus public information line from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at (909) 387-3911, or email the County at coronavirus@dph.sbcounty.gov.
Governor signs executive order to expand health care workforce and staff at least an additional 50,000 hospital beds needed for the COVID-19 surge
Medical doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, behavioral health scientists, pharmacists, EMTs, medical and administrative assistants, certified nursing assistants all needed
Governor Newsom: “If you have a background in health care, we need your help. Sign up at healthcorps.ca.gov”
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today launched a major new initiative to expand California’s health care workforce and recruit health care professionals to address the COVID-19 surge. Health care professionals with an active license, public health professionals, medical retirees, medical and nursing students, or members of medical disaster response teams in California are all encouraged to join the new California Health Corps.
Interested medical and health care professionals are encouraged to visit healthcorps.ca.gov for more information and to register for the California Health Corps. Medical doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, behavioral health scientists, pharmacists, EMTs, medical and administrative assistants, as well as certified nursing assistants are encouraged to step up and meet this moment to help California respond to the outbreak.
The Governor also signed an executive order that will temporarily expand the health care workforce and allow health care facilities to staff at least an additional 50,000 hospital beds the state needs to treat COVID-19 patients. A copy of the Governor’s executive order can be found here, and the text of the order can be found here.
“California’s health care workers are the heroes of this moment, serving on the front lines in the fight against this disease. To treat the rising number of patients with COVID-19, our state needs more workers in the health care field to join the fight. If you have a background in health care, we need your help. Sign up at healthcorps.ca.gov,” said Governor Newsom.
“Outreach to unemployed health care workers and under-employed foreign medical graduates will help build the workforce needed to fight the pandemic — and also create new opportunities and jobs for Californians struggling with unemployment,” said California Labor Secretary Julie A. Su.
“California must continue to prepare our health care delivery system and make sure it has every resource to respond to a potential surge in COVID-19 patients. California’s most valuable resource is its people and I join the Governor in calling on all medical professionals to join the fight against COVID-19,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.
More ways for Californians to support their communities and request assistance are outlined on the California Volunteers website serve.ca.gov. For more information on the state’s response to COVID-19, visit covid19.ca.gov.
We hope you are staying safe and healthy during this time. As you read on, we wanted to share some resources and information about coronavirus — from symptoms to ways to mitigate the spread of the disease, this is all good to know while we are all working on getting through this.
As you know, Governor Gavin Newsom has called for all Californians to remain indoors except for absolutely necessary reasons like a trip to the pharmacy, a visit to a doctor, or a run to the grocery store to stock up on food.
Folks are safer at home, and by practicing social distancing, we can mitigate the spread of coronavirus. Projections show that more than 50 percent of Californians could contract COVID-19 without taking safety measures as drastic as this — so please be careful and follow the governor’s orders.
There are a lot of great resources out there, including:
If you think you
might have coronavirus, contact your health care provider. Local health
departments and health care providers determine who needs testing and
hospitalization on a case-by-case basis.
Seek treatment by calling your doctor for a phone evaluation if:
You have difficulty breathing (shortness of breath);
You feel like symptoms (such as fever and cough) are getting worse rapidly;
You are unable to care for symptoms at home.
If you need to go to the hospital, call ahead so they can prepare for your arrival. If you need to call 911, tell the 911 operator you’re experiencing coronavirus symptoms so the ambulance provider can prepare to treat you safely.
LA County’s Department of Public Health put together this guide on how to cope during this emotionally stressful time:
Manage Your Stress
Maintain a routine.
Make time to relax and rest.
Be informed and inform you family
Become familiar with local medical and mental health resources in your community.
Give honest, age-appropriate information to children and remember to stay calm; children often feel what you feel.
Connect with your community online or through the phone
Keep contact with family and friends through social messaging or through phone calls.
Reach out to neighbors and friends with special needs who may need your help.
Reach Out and Help while maintaining necessary social distancing guidelines
If you know someone affected by the outbreak, call them to see how they are doing, and remember to keep their confidentiality.
Consider an act of kindness for those who have been asked to practice social distancing, such as having a meal delivered.
Be sensitive.
Avoid blaming anyone or assuming someone has the disease because of the way they look or where they or their families come from.
An infectious disease is not connected to any racial or ethnic group; speak up in kindness when you hear false rumors or negative stereotypes that foster racism and xenophobia.
SAN
BERNARDINO, CA— The Community block party scheduled at
Ecclesia Christian Fellowship and Hunt Elementary School has been rescheduled
to Saturday, August 1, 2020 at 12 p.m. They will; however still give out food
on Saturday, March 28 at The Way World Outreach located at 1001 N Arrowhead in
San Bernardino from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. If your family is in need, come and grab
a bag of FREE groceries.
For more information Call
909-353-7977 visit our web site to volunteer at any capacity call The Way
909-884-7117. Standing on His Word, to God be the Glory.
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health today announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. California now has 1,224 confirmed cases. For more information on COVID-19 and California’s response visit the California Department of Public Health website.
COVID-19 in California by the Numbers
Note: The following numbers reflect information received from local health jurisdictions as of 2 p.m. PDT March 20. More current numbers may be available from local health jurisdictions.
1,224 – Positive cases
23 – Deaths (including one non-California resident)
Ages of all confirmed positive cases:
Age 0-17: 19 cases
Age 18-64: 876 cases
Age 65+: 321 cases
Unknown: 8 cases
Cases not related to repatriation flights: 1,200
96 – Travel-related
122 – Person to person
325 – Community transmission
657 – Under investigation
24 – Positive cases related to federal repatriation flights
Testing in California
As of 2 p.m. PDT March 20, approximately 25,200 tests had been conducted in California. This includes the latest numbers California has received from commercial and private labs. At least 12,528 results have been received and another 12,700+ are pending. Twenty-two state and county health labs are currently testing.
In order to better focus public health resources on the changing needs of California communities, the state is no longer collecting information about California travelers returning from countries that have confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks. Community transmission of COVID-19 has been identified in California since late February, and since early March, most of the confirmed cases in the state were not related to travel outside of the United States.
How People Can Protect Themselves Every person has a role to play. Protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense:
· Staying home except for essential activities.
· Washing hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
· Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
· Cover a cough or sneeze with your sleeve, or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward.
· Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
· Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
· Practicing social distancing.
· Following guidance from public health officials.
What to Do if You Think You’re Sick Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath) and may have had contact with a person with COVID-19, or recently traveled to countries with apparent community spread, call your health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.
California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting California from COVID-19. Consolidated guidance is available at www.cdph.ca.gov/covid19guidance.
More information about what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is available at www.covid19.ca.gov.
Advocates continue to urge people to respond online, by phone, or mail
WASHINGTON – The co-chairs of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ Census Task Force — Arturo Vargas, CEO of NALEO Educational Fund; John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference — issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Census Bureau’s extension of 2020 Census operations from July 31, 2020 to August 14, 2020:
“As all of us, including vulnerable communities, deal with the impact of COVID-19. This extension gives the Census Bureau and advocates the flexibility we need to expand and modify outreach. The Census Bureau understands the public health challenge it is up against and is properly adjusting in real-time. As the situation continues to evolve, we encourage the Census Bureau to make any necessary adjustments in coordination with community partners and stakeholders. We are not backing down in our efforts to ensure our communities are counted — in fact, we are doubling down. We all need to work together to ensure a full and accurate count. People can, and should, continue to respond online, by phone, or by paper form. Essential rights, funding, resources, and political power are still at stake.”
Background
The co-chairs of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ Census Task Force previously expressed support for shifts in timing of certain U.S. Census Bureau operations. That statement is availablehere.
Extending census operations is not the same as delaying the census or changing the statutory reporting deadlines. The co-chairs have also urged Congress to closely monitor the progress of the census to determine if the Census Bureau will be able to meet the statutory deadlines of December 31, 2020 for the reporting of the final apportionment counts, and April 1, 2021 for the transmission of the redistricting files to the states. Congress may well need to consider adjustments to those deadlines once it has sufficient information on the status of the 2020 Census operations. This issue has deep and broad implications, primarily political and conceivably partisan. It must be approached carefully and knowledgeably for those reasons.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice – AAJC (Washington, D.C.), Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and Advancing Justice – Chicago.
NALEO Educational Fund is the leading non-profit, non-partisan organization that facilitates full Latino participation in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.
Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
