WSSN Stories

Since early April, the NAACP and BET have hosted a series of virtual town halls focused on the health, economic, and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the African American community.

The coronavirus has hit hard across the U.S. It’s particularly dire in rural areas and communities of color. Disparities have stressed millions of people, from economic hardships and limited access to health services to slow internet speeds and lack of internet access at home. These problems didn’t surface overnight. They’ve existed for decades, filtering into classrooms and hurting students along the way.

In part three of their four-part “Unmasked: A COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall Series,” NEA Vice President Becky Pringle, along with other top, national leaders, discussed the rising educational inequalities and how legislation can mitigate the burden African American students and other students of color face.

The hour-long call was part analysis of the current realities with an enhanced understanding of the problem, but also part solution to help move the nation toward a future that is equitable and fair for everyone.

With approximately 20,000 people on the line, Pringle was quick to call out the underlying problem that has disproportionately impacted communities of color.

“Here’s the reality,” she says, “structural racism [is] the pre-existing condition that [has] destined us to be where we are—where our communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus. We shouldn’t be shocked.”

Research has long pointed to the inequitable conditions, from past to present, that many people of color have experienced: housing, financial, healthcare, education, and more. When the pandemic hit, “We [knew] this virus was destined to impact these communities more than others, and when that has a greater impact on our community, it has a greater impact on our students,” adds Pringle.

The State of the Union

NEA members across the country have witnessed and experienced these disparities first hand, which is why they moved quickly to ensure students were, first and foremost, safe, and then had access to the tools they needed for learning to continue at home.

Pringle pointed to the efforts in California, where educators delivered meals to students. She underscored the work in Florida, where teachers delivered learning packets, and in Wisconsin, where bus drivers drove to parking lots to set up hotspots for students who didn’t have access to the internet.

“We are working to try to make sure our students are safe.” Watch Becky Pringle, Vice President of National Education Association explain what urgent issues we are addressing:#COVIDUnmasked https://t.co/BIf2n1GwE9 pic.twitter.com/tM6gNaLZNn

— NAACP (@NAACP) April 23, 2020

Additionally, members have been providing students and their colleagues with resources on trauma to cope with the fear, isolation, and loss felt from the coronavirus, as well as dealing with the death of family and friends. To address the digital divide, some NEA affiliates have partnered with local TV and radio stations to allow teachers to broadcast lessons for students who don’t have internet access or devices at home.

During the call, Pringle emphasized that while educators and their unions have focused on the “right now” to keep students safe and keep them learning, the education community must use this experience to help build a future that is equitable and fair. “Where all of our students, every one of them, have access and opportunity,” Pringle says.

That’s why, for the past two years, educators have marched in the streets to tell decision makers to address the lack of resources that plague America’s public schools, from school nurses, school counselors, and updated technology to overcrowded classrooms and even the lack of access to recess time for young students. These #RedForEd actions have won critical support for students, with massive community involvement.

But more needs to be done, as educators on the call shared their personal stories and asked tough questions to panelists, which included Bobby Scott, chairman of U.S. House Committee on Education; Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; Arthur Claiborne, a student leader at North Carolina A&T State University; and Tiffany Dena Loftin, youth and college director of NAACP. The call was moderated by Marc Lamont Hill, an award-winning journalist and host of BET News.

Pringle emphasized that while educators and their unions have focused on the ‘right now’ to keep students safe and keep them learning, the education community must use this experience to help build a future that is equitable and fair.”

Tiffany, a classroom public school teacher from Texas, asked how to truly hold people accountable to get the funding her students need without having to go through a pandemic. Noni, an educator from Rochester, N.Y., brought attention to her area by addressing how students in the suburban areas have laptops, while many students who live in the city have no computers. This “makes it hard to teach…and…[it’s] frustrating,” she shares.

And then there was Joyce Morely, a member of the DeKalb County School District school board in Atlanta, Ga., who shared her disappointment in “Betsy DeVos, the proclaimed person who is the secretary of Education, [who wants to give] all the dollars to charter schools and for more charter schools to come about.”

Morely explained that in her area, educators are feeding 18,687 students a day and 81 bus drivers are going out and putting their lives at risk. Students with special needs are still being taught despite the unfilled promise of fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Yet, DeVos continues to support schemes that siphon money from public schools.

What educators described on the call is happening all around the country, and to address these shortfalls and other challenges, several solutions were discussed. Top contenders: organize and vote.

While short-term solutions have been put in place to ensure many students get the resources they need, the long-term solution will involve elections.

“When I became a teacher…I had no idea that I could not just step into my classroom and teach my students. I had no idea that I had to have an impact beyond the confines of my own classroom….We have to organize and vote…but not just that, once we vote, we do have to hold people accountable because every single decision that is made about our classrooms and made about our students is a political one—from the school board all the way up to the White House,” says Becky Pringle.

“We have to make sure that people in positions of power and authority are those who care about our kids and are going to do what’s right so every single one of them can live into their brilliance.”

NEA Urges Congress To Take More Action

Congress has so far passed three major pieces of legislation to combat the health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19. NEA is asking for more to be done. Discussions around a phase four of a stimulus bill have begun, and NEA’s top asks includes:

• Provide at least$175 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund to distribute to states, allocated by formula, for public pre-K through post-secondary education to fill budget gaps caused by declining state revenues due to the COVID-19 national emergency.
• Reject Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ “microgrants” and other voucher schemes that siphon funding from public schools and undermine accountability.
• Provide at least $56 million for personal protective equipment for teachers, education support professionals, and other school staff who interact with students and their families, including food service workers who prepare and distribute meals, custodians who clean and disinfect buildings, security officers, and technology specialists.

NEA continues to urge the Federal Communications Commission to implement emergency measures to make changes to E-rate programs, which since 1996 has expanded internet access to the nation’s schools and libraries. These changes would allow school officials to buy Wi-Fi hot spots and equip existing equipment with Wi-Fi if it already doesn’t have it, ensuring all K-12 students have adequate home internet connectivity if their schools close.

Approximately $2 billion has been used from the program’s $4 billion cap, leaving up to $2 billion to schools for wi-fi hotspots, adding wi-fi to existing devices sent home?with students.

In a letter led by NEA, more than 30 organizations urged congressional leaders to include student loan debt cancellation in any future COVID-19 relief package. The average educator begins a career with about $35,000 in student loan debt.

The Student Debt Emergency Relief Act (H.R. 6363), introduced by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), would cancel at least $30,000 of outstanding student loan debt, boosting consumer spending and reducing the financial strain on educators and other borrowers.

POMONA, CA— Through a donation match program, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, also known as Tzu Chi USA, is raising funds for COVID-19 relief efforts nationwide. Through the Flatten the Curve campaign, we have already donated the following to date across 370 institutions (including over 166 hospitals):

• 493,378 surgical masks
• 36,712 gloves
• 17,674 N95 respirators (and/or alternatives including KN95s)
• 7,899 bottles of disinfectant spray
• 3,670 bottles of hand sanitizer
• 2,097 bags of groceries
• 1,476 handmade cloth masks
• and much more…

These supply donations and drop-offs have resulted in growing community partnerships in states and populations that are particularly hard hit and vulnerable. This includes one with California State Senator Connie M. Leyva, who delivered supplies from Tzu Chi USA to a homeless shelter in Pomona, CA on March 30. The donation included 2,000 surgical masks, 12 bottles of Lysol, 12 bottles of hand sanitizer, 230 Clorox wipes, and more.

“Thank you Tzu Chi, we appreciate you and everything you do. This is going to help one of our homeless shelters right here in Pomona, thank you, we love you!” Senator Connie M. Leyva, California State said. “We have also provided medical supplies to Elmhurst Hospital, in Queens, New York- an institution widely considered the ‘epicenter of the epicenter.’ In two distributions on March 31st and April 10, Tzu Chi volunteers delivered 4,300 surgical masks, 395 N95 respirators, and 50 K95 respirators there.”

Taking a broader approach, Tzu Chi New York volunteer and Tzu Chi International Medical Association Deputy Director Dr. Kenneth Liao clarified Tzu Chi volunteers’ role in providing support to frontline healthcare workers.

 “We are not first-responders, but we are second responders, trying to safeguard the life [of the people] who are working so hard and risking their own lives: the doctors, nurses, and health [care] professionals.”

Dr. Kenneth Liao, Deputy Director, Tzu Chi International Medical Association

Tzu Chi USA seeks the support of organizations and individuals so we can continue our COVID-19 relief efforts. Contributions may be made via: 

• online at https://tzuchi.us/donate/cause/coronavirus 
• via mobile app on Tzu Chi Connect
• by phone at 1-888-9TZUCHI (888-989-8244)

ABOUT TZU CHI USA

Tzu Chi USA, also known as the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, is an international non-profit humanitarian organization with over 10 million volunteers and supporters worldwide. The heart of our organization (which was founded in 1966 by a Buddhist nun named Dharma Master Cheng Yen) is embedded in our name: in Chinese, “tzu” means compassion and “chi,” relief. Learn more about us at www.tzuchi.us.

Census Day 2020 came April 1. The global coronavirus pandemic was worsening. It had already forced social and economic shutdowns across America.

Since then, all the major African-American community-based organizations, political leaders and other advocates in California — concerned that there may be an undercount of Black Californians during the 2020 census count — have found themselves grappling.

Under a statewide shelter in place order, those groups have been working overtime, rejiggering outreach strategies from a boots-on-the-ground game to expanding online get-the-word-out campaigns — most of their social media content identifiable by the hashtag #MakeBlackCount.

Their goal, leaders say, is to ensure every Black household in California accurately completes its 2020 Census form.

Their hard work is paying off.

So far, California has a 53.8% response rate, which is higher than the national response rate of 52.4%. The state is on good footing at this point, considering that this is still the first phase of the national count, and census workers have not yet even begun to conduct in-person, door-to-door data collection campaigns. About 47.8% of participants in the state have responded online, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Up and down the state, most of the groups we’ve reached out to told us that they have had to step back and reimagine how they can best get their message to those African-American families and individuals who live in our hardest-to-count communities,” said Regina Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media and a member of the California Complete Count committee.

“It is not business as usual,” Wilson continued.  “To be successful during this crisis, they have had to switch up their plans in real time. Its remarkable, but to achieve a full count of Blacks in the state, we have to keep that momentum up.”

During Census Week, responses jumped 9.1 percentage points — an estimated 1.36 million households self-responded to the Census form, the California Census 2020 Campaign announced April 9.

“We understand there is still more work to be done to make sure all Californians, especially those who are hard to count, fill out their questionnaire. We are proud of the work our partners are doing to push these self-response rates,” said Ditas Katague, Director of the California Complete Count – Census 2020 Office. “We’d like to remind everyone that filling out the Census form will help bring needed representation and resources to California’s diverse communities.”

The state’s success to date stems from the California Census Campaign’s work with more than 120 partners including local governments, tribal governments, K-12 schools, county offices of education, community-based organizations, state agencies and departments, faith-based organizations, labor unions, small businesses, ethnic and mainstream media outlets, and others.

COVID-19 prompted the Census Bureau to prioritize an online count; and caused the California governor to issue a statewide stay-at-home order for everyone except essential workers — or people going out to pick up medicines, shop for groceries or fill up their cars with gas.  Having to adhere to a 6-foot physical distancing mandate between people, per Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, has also influenced how census informational campaigns are being executed.

But advocates say they are now more determined than ever to work for a complete count.

Many rely on social media and web-conferencing events and they emphasize that the confidential, simple 9-question Census questionnaire can be completed quickly online at my2020census.gov, and by phone in English and other languages at 844-330-2020. 

The U.S. Census Bureau has been sending paper forms to households that haven’t responded to the Census.

“Just think about Head Start and Meals on Wheels, and after-school programs.  That’s all dependent on getting everybody counted,” said Cassandra Jennings, president and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Urban League. She held a Celebrate Census Day Facebook live stream with Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg on April 1.

The Census Day celebration in Sacramento is just one example of many others that happened in regions of the state with the highest African-American populations, including the Los Angeles area, the Inland Empire, the Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast and greater San Diego.

Jennings’ virtual event featured an interactive social media challenge. Participants tweeted about completing census forms on Instagram or Facebook, then tagged 10 of their friends.  “Let’s challenge each other to complete the census, not tomorrow, not the next day, but on Census day April 1,” Jennings invited people online to participate.

Earlier this month, California Black Media (CBM) released “Counting Black California – Counting the Hard to Count.” The Sacramento-based organization updated its comprehensive report identifying areas in the state where African Americans are least likely to be counted by the 2020 Census. The study includes an easy-to-use, online interactive map scalable down to the street level with those hard-to-count tracts highlighted.

Although the coronavirus crisis has forced community-based organizations doing census outreach work to adjust, they are coping, said California community leaders and advocates across the state like Janette Robinson Flint, founder and executive director of Black Women for Wellness (BWW) in Los Angeles.

Its civic engagement program hired workers before the March 3 general primary elections. They went door-to-door and set up tables at grocery stores and public spaces to educate canvassers about including census awareness in their get-out-the-vote campaigns.

“My fear is that it’s going to be a serious undercount as a result of the coronavirus. At a community level, we just simply can’t afford to be undercounted,” she said.

Robinson Flint said the key is for organizations to be nimble enough to switch up their ground games in communities to reach people online and by other means.

Her organization is now relying on texting and social media and, in the process, studying the technological capacity of their community.

Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), a statewide social and political action organization — comprised of African-American elected and appointed officials; community leaders; activists; artists; scholars, and more — also pivoted its outreach strategy. The group recently released a video online featuring Black women across the state encouraging the community to respond and sharing how the Census directly benefits them.

Robinson-Flint says adjusting to a digital strategy has its challenges too, like unpredicted costs.

“A lot of people have smartphones, but if you ask them to text a thousand people, then that’s difficult for them in terms of how much it would cost,” Robinson Flint said.

Because of the COVID-19 crisis, the U.S. Census Bureau has adjusted its enumeration timeline. Field activities, which were scheduled to begin March 1, will not start until June 1. The bureau also warned that those dates and the processes associated with them might change, too.

“In-person activities, including enumeration, office work, and processing activities, will incorporate the most current guidance from authorities to ensure the health and safety of staff and the public” the bureau announced on its website.

Track response rates of every state here.    

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to mount, many Americans may be considering where to go for care if they develop potential symptoms. One important – yet potentially overlooked – resource is telehealth, which may enable people to connect 24/7 with a health care provider via a digital device and avoid potential exposure risks associated with in-person trips to health care facilities.

“Telehealth may be especially helpful as an initial option for medical advice related to COVID-19 and to help evaluate other possible health issues, as well as to assist people who live in rural areas,” said Dr. Anne Docimo, Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare.

To help people more effectively take advantage of this technology during the evolving COVID-19 situation, here are three tips to consider:

1. Identify available resources: To find telehealth resources, check with your care provider group, health benefit plan or employer. According to a recent Mercer study, nearly nine out of 10 employers offer telehealth visits to their employees, as do many Medicare and Medicaid health plans (in some cases by telephone). Meanwhile, 76% of hospitals connect patients and care providers using video or other technology, according to the American Hospital Association. In some cases, people can currently access telehealth visits without cost sharing. Since the outbreak emerged, some health plans are now encouraging patients to use telephone or live videoconferencing (if available) to connect people with local network medical providers, currently waiving cost sharing for COVID-19 related visits and treatments. Docimo points out this is especially important for people with certain complex conditions, such as diabetes or Parkinson’s disease, as it may enable them to “see” their own physician for acute or follow-up care related to their condition and help avoid potential exposure to the coronavirus during an in-person visit.
2. Understand likely next steps: During a telehealth visit, care providers can give general medical advice to evaluate possible COVID-19 symptoms (fever, dry cough or difficulty breathing). While diagnostic testing services are not available through a telehealth visit to help confirm a diagnosis for COVID-19 (if needed), care providers can help guide patients to a local care provider or public health authority for testing and follow-up care. Making these connections may help people take the appropriate steps in advance of an in-person test, which may help reduce the risk of your exposure and possible exposure to other patients and health care providers. For other illnesses (not COVID-19 related) that are treatable with medications, telehealth care providers can write prescriptions and discuss how to obtain them safely, such as using medication home delivery or drive-thru pickup at a local pharmacy. Due to the COVID-19 situation, it is important to note that people may anticipate potential wait times, as some care providers offering telehealth may be currently experiencing a surge in appointments.
3. Access other health services: While elective health care procedures may be delayed to help enable care providers to focus on COVID-19 cases, telehealth may help people more effectively manage other health issues without the need to go out and risk potential exposure to the virus. Telehealth can help address myriad medical issues, including allergies, pinkeye, fevers, rashes and the regular flu. In addition, so much time at home can also contribute to behavioral health issues, so people should consider telehealth as a resource to connect with a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist. Importantly, people who experience a significant or serious medical issue should go to the emergency room (ER).

By considering these tips, people across the country may be able to more effectively use telehealth resources to help stay safe during these challenging times. For more information about the COVID-19 situation, go to www.uhc.com/coronavirus.

WASHINGTON—-  The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) issued frequently asked questions (FAQ Watch) for healthcare providers related to COVID-19. The novel coronavirus outbreak has caused significant disruption to global health, especially for vulnerable populations in the U.S. The ABC created FAQ Watch to provide a succinct update on the science and clinical challenges posed by the disease and potential cardiac implications. FAQ Watch will be updated as needed or at least weekly by its editors Kevin M. Alexander, MD (Chair), Michelle A. Albert, MD, MPH (ABC President), Peter Chin-Hong, MD, MPH, and Norrisa Haynes, MD, MPH.

In addition to informing health care providers about the science and clinical aspects of the coronavirus infection, the ABC is undertaking efforts to raise awareness in diverse populations.  The organization is particularly concerned about the pandemic’s effect on the African-American diaspora and other underserved groups. 

“ABC has been at the forefront of addressing cardiovascular disparities in our communities,” said Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH, ABC Board Chair. “The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed severe inequities in access to healthcare and preventive services. As a nation, we have an unprecedented opportunity to address these issues, by working with affected communities, and the healthcare providers who serve them.”

FAQ Watch covers the clinical stages of COVID-19, associated cardiovascular complications and treatments currently advised for COVID-19 management. Recommended changes in practice for interventional cardiologists and catheterization laboratories as well as new guidance for transthoracic echo and transesophageal echo procedures have also been incorporated. FAQ Watch answers other critical questions, including how communities of color can diminish the spread of COVID-19 and decrease their risk of fatal outcomes.

ABC is inspired by how different communities are pulling together at individual, leadership, medical, scientific and public health levels to mitigate the impact of this pandemic. This downloadable FAQ is a new component of earlier actions ABC initiated in response to the virus:   

• ABC President Dr. Michelle Albert introduces ABC COVID-19 Information & Resource Hub and highlights the Council on Black Health’s brief, “What Coronavirus Means for Black Communities.”
• ABC and OtherHealth Care Groups Issue Urgent Call for Federal Action to Address Medical Equipment Shortages
• ABC hosts a webinar, “At the Heart of the Matter: Unmasking the Invisibility of COVID-19 in Diverse Populations.”Now available for viewing.
• ABC President Dr. Michelle Albert joins KDKA Radio host Lynne Hayes-Freeland to discuss COVID-19, health care disparities and African Americans. Listen to Interview

About ABC
Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the disparities related to cardiovascular disease and achieving health equity such that all people can live long, healthy lives. Membership is open to all interested in the care of people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, including health professionals, lay members of the community (Community Health Advocates), corporate and institutional members. For more information, visit www.abcardio.org and connect with ABC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

SOURCE: Association of Black Cardiologists

Pregnant women and single mothers may be experiencing particular food insecurity and hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Los Angeles County, there are several programs and services that help families who have been affected by recent events: 

• Home Visiting Programs are still enrolling new clients and serving families in LA County. Home Visitors provide support and services during pregnancy; coaches parents on how to support children during difficult times; offers techniques for lowering stress; and connects parents to educational training, job opportunities, and other resources. For the health and safety of our clients, all home visiting programs have temporarily moved all in-person visits to telehealth visits to continue providing support to all our families. For more information, call (213) 639-6434.
• MAMA’s Program is providing services to pregnant women and those who have recently delivered during the COVID-9 crisis by offering telehealth telephonic and video visits for medical and behavioral health services, social care navigation, and nursing support. The telehealth platform lessens the face-to-face contact for these women without decreasing the number of visits they require or desire. Pregnant women in the safety net who need prenatal and immediate postpartum services can call 844-37-MAMAS for appointments and enhanced perinatal services.  
• Doula services provide emotional support, physical comfort, education, and advocacy to African American pregnant women and persons during pregnancy, childbirth, and the newborn period. Call (213) 639-6448 for more information and eligibility requirements.
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program provides healthy foods and other resources to pregnant women and families with a child under 5 years of age. For more information and eligibility requirements, text APPLY to 91997, visit phfewic.org or call (888) 942-2229.
• Cash aid and food purchasing services are available through CalWORKS. This program provides monthly financial assistance to help pay for housing, food, utilities, clothing, medical care and other necessary expenses. For more information and eligibility requirements, call (866) 613-3777. 
• Early childhood education and childcare services are available for essential workers. Call (888) 92CHILD (922-4453) or visit lacoe.edu/childcare for more information and resources.
• Emotional support services are available for pregnant and parenting families feeling anxious, panicked, or stressed. Mental health professionals are available at (800) 854-7771.
• California Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services are available and include nutritious foods and more resources that are available to all eligible families affected by COVID-19. WIC welcomes military families, migrant families, fathers, foster parents and legal guardians with eligible children. If your income has been affected by recent events, and you are:
  • Pregnant 
  • Breastfeeding (up to the infant’s first birthday)
  • Non-breastfeeding women (until the infant is six months old)
  • Women up to six months after a pregnancy loss
  • For infants and children, up to the child’s fifth birthday. 
  • To find out if you’re eligible, California residents can start by texting APPLY to 91997, call (888) 942-2229 or visit phfewic.org

If you want to learn more about the risks of COVID-19 to pregnant women, visit COVID-19: Advice to Pregnant Women. If you are pregnant and you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 or you think you may have contracted the virus, visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing to schedule an appointment. 

Lastly, pregnant women should take the same preventative measures as the general public to avoid infection. You can help stop the spread of COVID-19 by taking these actions:

• Stay home. Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• Have food delivered to your home so you can avoid checkout lines at grocery stores.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or using the restroom.
• Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks & cell phones).

African American-owned restaurants across California will be able to participate in a new state program that contracts eateries to prepare meals and deliver them to vulnerable senior citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Newsom announced the new “first-in-the-nation” initiative, dubbed “Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals for Seniors,”April 24.

“This partnership will allow restaurants to start rehiring people or keep people currently employed and start preparing meals, three meals a day, seven days a week, and have those meals delivered to our seniors all throughout the state of California,” Gov. Newsom said during his daily press briefing.

The program is being executed in partnership with California counties, cities, and Native American tribes, said the governor, who has a background in the food and beverage industry. Newsom co-founded the Napa-based PlumpJack Winery. Its parent company, the PlumpJack Group’s portfolio includes restaurants, hotels, wine, and event space ventures.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA) is bankrolling 75% of the costs. California, Newsom said, will subsidize the remaining 25% for counties and cities. 

The meals program for seniors is part of a broader initiative organized to support California seniors who are isolating at home, adhering to the state’s coronavirus shelter in place order. The other programs are the “Social Bridging Project,” which brings together 1,000 volunteers to check in on older Californians during the crisis. The other is “Friendship Line California,” a toll-free telephone service that provides emotional support to aging adults across the state.  The California Department of Aging is partnering with the Institute of Aging to roll out this effort.

“Older adults are heroes for being the first Californians to stay at home and save lives. However, they may be struggling to access food, and with the mental health implications of isolation. These programs will make sure our older friends, family, and neighbors have access to the food and friendship they need,” said Director of the California Department of Aging Kim McCoy Wade.

Since the COVID-19 shelter in place began in mid-March, many restaurants across the state have been running at half capacity — only open for pickup and delivery orders. Some of them are not open at all.

Reporting severe drops in their revenues, many African-American restaurateurs in California look at a steady partnership with the state — one that provides a constant flow of income — as a viable option.

The state of California estimates that 1.2 million people over 65 years of age across the state live by themselves, Newsom said. Overall, the state is home to almost six million aging adults.

“It’s not just about the meals,” Newsom said during his daily midday news briefing. “It’s about a human connection, about someone just checking in as they’re delivering those meals and making sure people are okay.”

African Americans account for nearly 11% of COVID-19 deaths in the state, the California Department of Public Health reports. Blacks make up only about 6%  of California’s population of almost 40 million residents.

African Americans also fall behind when it comes to proprietorship and running restaurants. Blacks make up about 13% of the population, but consist of  8% of restaurant owners and the same share of restaurant managers, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Black-owned restaurants may want to be a part of the nutritional aspects of the program that could continue beyond the coronavirus crisis, some advocates for aging Californians say.

According to the state, the “Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals for Seniors” program has two main purposes. The first is to help older and other adults at high risk from COVID-19 to stay home and stay healthy by delivering three nutritious meals a day. The second is to provide an essential economic stimulus to local businesses and workers struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.

As local governments stand up their own nutrition programs over the next few weeks, more information will be provided at ?https://www.gov.ca.gov.

In the meantime, here are some resources for aging Californians that are available now:

o   Senior citizens can enter their locations into 211.org to find local services, such as nutrition, financial, health care, and housing assistance.

o   Every community has an Aging and Adult Info Line to connect people to services: ?(800) 510-2020..

o   Seniors can also visit the California Department of Aging’s COVID-19 page (?www.aging.ca.gov) for a list of resources for older and other at-risk adults.

o   For emotional support, call Friendship Line California @ 1-888-670-1360

“We are all in this together,” said Gov. Newsom. “We will continue to support older Californians who are more at risk during this public health emergency.”

Restaurateurs can get more information and apply to be a part of the “Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals for Seniors” program here.

Out-of-work gig workers in California whose employers have not paid into the state’s unemployment insurance fund — as well as Californians without jobs who have run out of unemployment benefits — will be able to file new unemployment claims.

Starting April 28, the state will begin accepting unemployment insurance (UI) applications from both of those categories of jobless Californians through the California Employee Development Department (EDD) website.

“We have been working on making sure that we get Californians what they are entitled to under PUA,” California Labor Secretary Julie A. Su wrote in an open letter last week. She was breaking down the new federal government Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program that provides Californians an additional $600 a week on top of whatever amount — between $40 and $450 —  they qualify for under the state’s unemployment insurance program. The supplemental unemployment money is funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) act, which the United States Congress approved and President Trump signed into law last month.

The EDD has built a new system to handle new CARES Act claims for both the regular state unemployment insurance benefits and payouts from the new federal PUA program. The website has specifically been constructed to accommodate claims from independent contractors, the self-employed and individuals who lack sufficient work history.

For every week a gig worker was out of work between Feb. 2, 2020 and March 28, 2020, he or she will receive $167 in unemployment benefits from the state of California, according to the EDD. In the next phase, which runs from March 29 to July 25, unemployed gig workers will receive $167 for each of those weeks, plus an additional $600 in PUA payments. For the final phase, which goes from July 26 to Dec. 26, they will go back to receiving only the $167 in PUA benefits if still needed.

The state has recently updated the PUA web page to include eligibility criteria. Anyone who has lost work due to COVID-19 related complications is eligible, whether he or she been diagnosed, is acting as a caregiver, or has lost work due to complications.

“There’s one and a half million that are self-employed, one and a half small businessmen and women, individuals that have no other employees, and they’re also deserving of direct assistance,” said Governor Newsom in a recent press briefing, announcing the initiative.

Su provided some specifics of the PUA program during the same press conference and in a letter addressed to all Californians on April 15.

According to Su, the PUA program will have a fast turnaround so that benefits can be administered within 24-48 hours. Also, benefit payments will be retroactive, going back to the first week of February, if the applicant can prove that his or her loss of work was due to COVID-19. She added that the extra $600 from the federal CARES Act will also be retroactive.

To handle the increased hours and high amount of calls, the Unemployment Insurance branch has added 740 new EDD employees and 600 others across state government.

Su said the state has taken other steps to make sure that people affected by the crisis receive their money without delay, including extending call center hours from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and adding phone lines. Also, Labor Secretary Su announced April 23 that EDD has temporarily suspended Unemployment Insurance certifications for the weeks ending March 14 through May 9. EDD will issue regular unemployment payments during those weeks, and will not stop payment unless notified that the recipient has found new employment.

Labor department call center staff members answered on the first ring when California Black Media made investigative calls twice this week after hearing reports that unemployment insurance support phone lines were down when applicants called on the first day seeking help.

On April 14, Su held a Facebook Live discussion to update the public about unemployment benefits. She answered questions from concerned self-employed workers who had received $0 UI determinations from the EDD and had trouble getting a representative on the phone. According to Su, a $0 determination means that there was no money paid into self-employment from a previous employer. She also said that self-employed workers who applied for UI would possibly have to apply again for PUA once it’s available.

“Let me also acknowledge that there has been frustration and disappointment about how long things take, uncertainty about what it means when you can’t get the payments that you need right now,” she said. “I also just wanted to acknowledge that it is a difficult time and I know that it is very, very hard for people throughout California, throughout the country, and throughout the world.”

Gov. Newsom also announced a $75 million Disaster Relief Fund for undocumented Californians who are ineligible for UI benefits and disaster benefits, including the federal stimulus check, due to their immigration status. According to Newsom, individuals can apply for a one-time cash benefit of $500 per adult capped at $1,000 per household beginning next month.

607 New Cases of Confirmed COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 48 new deaths and 607 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Thirty-seven people who died were over the age of 65 and nine people who died were between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. Thirty-eight people had underlying health conditions including 30 people over the age of 65 and eight people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. Two deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach.

To date, Public Health has identified 19,107 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 895 deaths. Ninety-two percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 820 people (97 percent of the cases); 37% of deaths occurred among Latinx residents, 28% among White residents, 18% among Asian residents, 14% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 17 cases and one death reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 4,319 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (23% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for almost 114,000 individuals and 15% of people testing positive.

Public Health reminds everyone to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness, especially older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and people with a chronic medical condition who are especially sensitive to negative health impacts from extreme heat. Public Health offers the following recommendations during high temperature days:

• Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated throughout the day.
• If you must go out, plan your day to avoid going out during the hottest hours, and wear sunscreen. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothes, and bring a hat or umbrella with you.
• Cars get very hot. Never leave children or pets in cars and call 911 if you see a child or pet in a car alone.
• Beware of heat-related illness, like heat stroke and call 911 if you see these symptoms: high body temperature, vomiting, and pale and clammy skin.
• Check on those at risk, like those who are sick, older adults, pregnant women, and children.
• Avoid strenuous work outs wearing face coverings or masks not intended for athletic purposes; this means avoiding contact with others while you work out.

Emergency Cooling Centers are open from noon – 6:00 p.m. today for those in need. The centers are safe, free of charge and visitors must wear a face covering at all times and practice physical distancing. To find a location near you, visit http://ready.lacounty.gov/heat or call 211.

“For those who are grieving loved ones lost to COVID-19, please know you are in our thoughts and prayers every day,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “With this weekend’s high temperatures, I encourage everyone to take steps to stay cool while still practicing physical distancing and adhering to Safer at Home directives. This past week in LA County, we doubled the number of deaths from COVID-19 and diagnosed more than 7000 new cases.  Because we are still seeing a significant increase in new cases and deaths, we ask that you continue to stay home as much as possible.  Enjoy the outdoors safely by taking walks by yourself or with your household members near your home and always remaining at least 6 feet apart from others. Public pools and all beaches remain closed for your wellbeing and the health of those most vulnerable for serious illness and death from COVID-19. Continue to do your part and save lives.  This is how we get to the other side of the outbreak and begin our recovery. “

A new Health Officer Order issued yesterday for all licensed congregate healthcare facilities includes measures intended to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in these facilities and to protect vulnerable residents, as well as staff.  The measures include restricting all visitors, suspending all communal dining and activities to ensure physical distancing, and testing for all employees and residents. Staff will be required to wear surgical masks at all times and personal protective equipment when appropriate. Residents will also need to wear surgical masks or cloth face coverings when they are outside of their personal room.

Public Health reminds everyone that if you are ill, even with mild symptoms, please self- isolate at home for 7 days and until you are fever and symptom free for 72 hours. If you have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is presumed to be infected with COVID-19, you must quarantine for 14 days from your last contact with that individual. Individuals who are elderly or who have underlying health conditions may be at higher risk of serious illness and should contact their doctor as soon as they are sick. The best protection against COVID-19 is to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing (especially by staying at home) and wear a clean face covering when in contact with others from outside your household. 

Additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Please see additional information below:

Total Cases*
Laboratory Confirmed Cases	19107
— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)	18268
— Long Beach	540
— Pasadena	299
Deaths	895
— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)	837
— Long Beach	29
— Pasadena	29
Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
–  0 to 17	378
–  18 to 40	5914
–  41 to 65	7878
–  over 65	4036
–  Under Investigation	62
Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
–  Female	9083
–  Male	9008
–  Other	5
–  Under Investigation	172
Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
–  American Indian/Alaska Native	12
–  Asian	1194
–  Black	869
–  Hispanic/Latino	4828
–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	160
–  White	2479
–  Other	878
–  Under Investigation	7848
Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
–  Hospitalized (Ever)	4319
Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
–  American Indian/Alaska Native	1
–  Asian	149
–  Black	115
–  Hispanic/Latino	301
–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	11
–  White	233
–  Other	10
–  Under Investigation	17
CITY / COMMUNITY**		Rate***
City of Agoura Hills	29	138.87
City of Alhambra	68	78.41
City of Arcadia	34	58.87
City of Artesia	13	77.4
City of Avalon	0	0
City of Azusa	48	95.92
City of Baldwin Park	70	91.18
City of Bell	116	319.28
City of Bell Gardens	82	190.38
City of Bellflower	104	133.79
City of Beverly Hills	103	298.38
City of Bradbury	1	93.55
City of Burbank	208	194.07
City of Calabasas	34	139.79
City of Carson	210	223.77
City of Cerritos	47	93.87
City of Claremont	22	60.3
City of Commerce	10	76.52
City of Compton	173	173.17
City of Covina	82	167.24
City of Cudahy	55	225.9
City of Culver City	56	140.47
City of Diamond Bar	33	57.38
City of Downey	182	159.28
City of Duarte	47	213.48
City of El Monte	120	102.33
City of El Segundo	27	160.85
City of Gardena	134	218.56
City of Glendale	469	227.13
City of Glendora	39	73.91
City of Hawaiian Gardens	9	61.32
City of Hawthorne	154	173.45
City of Hermosa Beach	23	116.93
City of Hidden Hills	0	0
City of Huntington Park	119	200.05
City of Industry	1	228.83
City of Inglewood	267	235.07
City of Irwindale	2	137.08
City of La Canada Flintridge	38	183.64
City of La Habra Heights	2	36.66
City of La Mirada	46	92.74
City of La Puente	33	81.09
City of La Verne	16	48.07
City of Lakewood	73	90.84
City of Lancaster	246	152.26
City of Lawndale	50	148.75
City of Lomita	32	154.37
City of Lynwood	155	215.14
City of Malibu	28	216.03
City of Manhattan Beach	64	177.78
City of Maywood	52	185.39
City of Monrovia	35	90.21
City of Montebello	109	169.32
City of Monterey Park	63	101.19
City of Norwalk	163	151.46
City of Palmdale	346	217.65
City of Palos Verdes Estates	37	273.63
City of Paramount	113	201.7
City of Pico Rivera	133	206.89
City of Pomona	131	84.01
City of Rancho Palos Verdes	51	119.31
City of Redondo Beach	98	142.66
City of Rolling Hills	1	51.55
City of Rolling Hills Estates	13	160.24
City of Rosemead	28	50.59
City of San Dimas	25	72.43
City of San Fernando	67	272.22
City of San Gabriel	27	65.93
City of San Marino	11	82.85
City of Santa Clarita	304	137.92
City of Santa Fe Springs	16	87.13
City of Santa Monica	149	161.18
City of Sierra Madre	5	45.5
City of Signal Hill	6	50.86
City of South El Monte	13	62.25
City of South Gate	209	212.93
City of South Pasadena	59	226.46
City of Temple City	45	123.44
City of Torrance	233	156.1
City of Vernon	0	0
City of Walnut	22	72.06
City of West Covina	104	96.09
City of West Hollywood	130	351.82
City of Westlake Village	6	71.77
City of Whittier	95	108.66
Los Angeles	8695	214.98
Los Angeles – Adams-Normandie	22	268.23
Los Angeles – Alsace	25	200.88
Los Angeles – Angeles National Forest	0	0
Los Angeles – Angelino Heights	6	239.81
Los Angeles – Arleta	76	221.12
Los Angeles – Atwater Village	21	143.19
Los Angeles – Baldwin Hills	50	160.64
Los Angeles – Bel Air	28	332.19
Los Angeles – Beverly Crest	31	247.5
Los Angeles – Beverlywood	30	227.74
Los Angeles – Boyle Heights	154	177.25
Los Angeles – Brentwood	63	203.52
Los Angeles – Brookside	0	0
Los Angeles – Cadillac-Corning	15	210.64
Los Angeles – Canoga Park	197	301.74
Los Angeles – Carthay	59	410.78
Los Angeles – Central	93	238.51
Los Angeles – Century City	30	234.52
Los Angeles – Century Palms/Cove	69	204.35
Los Angeles – Chatsworth	68	183.48
Los Angeles – Cheviot Hills	16	174.46
Los Angeles – Chinatown	8	99.74
Los Angeles – Cloverdale/Cochran	30	206.14
Los Angeles – Country Club Park	53	349.77
Los Angeles – Crenshaw District	44	318.17
Los Angeles – Crestview	59	519
Los Angeles – Del Rey	45	150.32
Los Angeles – Downtown	49	178.14
Los Angeles – Eagle Rock	76	191.97
Los Angeles – East Hollywood	105	358.52
Los Angeles – Echo Park	17	119.25
Los Angeles – El Sereno	78	186.57
Los Angeles – Elysian Park	9	157.56
Los Angeles – Elysian Valley	18	176.97
Los Angeles – Encino	76	168.25
Los Angeles – Exposition	2	60.13
Los Angeles – Exposition Park	105	233.76
Los Angeles – Faircrest Heights	2	55.56
Los Angeles – Figueroa Park Square	19	217.86
Los Angeles – Florence-Firestone	101	212.88
Los Angeles – Glassell Park	96	303.76
Los Angeles – Gramercy Place	24	222.97
Los Angeles – Granada Hills	100	171.85
Los Angeles – Green Meadows	49	227.85
Los Angeles – Hancock Park	60	352.13
Los Angeles – Harbor City	39	134.16
Los Angeles – Harbor Gateway	55	126.15
Los Angeles – Harbor Pines	0	0
Los Angeles – Harvard Heights	45	249.51
Los Angeles – Harvard Park	99	260.97
Los Angeles – Highland Park	69	142.59
Los Angeles – Historic Filipinotown	51	367.7
Los Angeles – Hollywood	176	257.86
Los Angeles – Hollywood Hills	56	190.26
Los Angeles – Hyde Park	47	164.68
Los Angeles – Jefferson Park	15	185.8
Los Angeles – Koreatown	114	220.53
Los Angeles – Lafayette Square	11	241.28
Los Angeles – Lake Balboa	61	144.53
Los Angeles – Lakeview Terrace	43	327.42
Los Angeles – Leimert Park	29	190.35
Los Angeles – Lincoln Heights	52	159.52
Los Angeles – Little Armenia	77	959.5
Los Angeles – Little Bangladesh	61	215.22
Los Angeles – Little Tokyo	5	159.59
Los Angeles – Longwood	12	278.81
Los Angeles – Los Feliz	31	143.47
Los Angeles – Manchester Square	11	128.87
Los Angeles – Mandeville Canyon	1	32.01
Los Angeles – Mar Vista	50	117.73
Los Angeles – Marina Peninsula	9	206.42
Los Angeles – Melrose	300	386.12
Los Angeles – Mid-city	35	232.87
Los Angeles – Miracle Mile	36	200.17
Los Angeles – Mission Hills	59	244.57
Los Angeles – Mt. Washington	33	136.67
Los Angeles – North Hills	120	194.88
Los Angeles – North Hollywood	274	180.95
Los Angeles – Northridge	131	187.69
Los Angeles – Pacific Palisades	36	169.09
Los Angeles – Pacoima	181	235.13
Los Angeles – Palisades Highlands	3	78
Los Angeles – Palms	93	211.96
Los Angeles – Panorama City	202	268.44
Los Angeles – Park La Brea	11	81
Los Angeles – Pico-Union	155	370.44
Los Angeles – Playa Del Rey	1	31.29
Los Angeles – Playa Vista	16	146.16
Los Angeles – Porter Ranch	48	134.88
Los Angeles – Rancho Park	11	167.68
Los Angeles – Regent Square	1	35.97
Los Angeles – Reseda	160	208.83
Los Angeles – Reseda Ranch	17	366.7
Los Angeles – Reynier Village	7	165.56
Los Angeles – San Pedro	143	183.24
Los Angeles – Shadow Hills	11	247.64
Los Angeles – Sherman Oaks	116	132.95
Los Angeles – Silverlake	104	235.92
Los Angeles – South Carthay	22	207.65
Los Angeles – South Park	94	247.62
Los Angeles – St Elmo Village	9	196.34
Los Angeles – Studio City	32	142.6
Los Angeles – Sun Valley	91	173.39
Los Angeles – Sunland	62	303.8
Los Angeles – Sycamore Square	0	0
Los Angeles – Sylmar	258	313.11
Los Angeles – Tarzana	69	223.47
Los Angeles – Temple-Beaudry	129	326.73
Los Angeles – Thai Town	12	122.34
Los Angeles – Toluca Lake	9	103.4
Los Angeles – Toluca Terrace	1	76.57
Los Angeles – Toluca Woods	3	161.46
Los Angeles – Tujunga	51	183.39
Los Angeles – University Hills	4	116.65
Los Angeles – University Park	64	233.1
Los Angeles – Valley Glen	74	246.54
Los Angeles – Valley Village	75	303.4
Los Angeles – Van Nuys	231	247.87
Los Angeles – Venice	42	123.95
Los Angeles – Vermont Knolls	47	273.26
Los Angeles – Vermont Square	34	444.04
Los Angeles – Vermont Vista	87	211.24
Los Angeles – Vernon Central	140	269.24
Los Angeles – Victoria Park	30	357.19
Los Angeles – View Heights	7	189.5
Los Angeles – Watts	76	178.09
Los Angeles – Wellington Square	9	183.11
Los Angeles – West Adams	94	340.21
Los Angeles – West Hills	45	110.99
Los Angeles – West Los Angeles	51	135.51
Los Angeles – West Vernon	158	294.53
Los Angeles – Westchester	58	112.4
Los Angeles – Westlake	204	343.69
Los Angeles – Westwood	43	79.47
Los Angeles – Wholesale District	59	163.3
Los Angeles – Wilmington	73	129.23
Los Angeles – Wilshire Center	90	179.39
Los Angeles – Winnetka	118	227.86
Los Angeles – Woodland Hills	102	149.88
Unincorporated – Acton	8	100.36
Unincorporated – Agua Dulce	1	24.05
Unincorporated – Altadena	59	135.26
Unincorporated – Anaverde	1	66.31
Unincorporated – Angeles National Forest	1	80.32
Unincorporated – Arcadia	4	50.12
Unincorporated – Athens-Westmont	83	195.56
Unincorporated – Athens Village	13	265.47
Unincorporated – Avocado Heights	12	177.12
Unincorporated – Azusa	14	87.92
Unincorporated – Bandini Islands	0	NA
Unincorporated – Bassett	25	168.73
Unincorporated – Bouquet Canyon	0	0
Unincorporated – Bradbury	0	0
Unincorporated – Canyon Country	21	271.74
Unincorporated – Castaic	18	66.2
Unincorporated – Cerritos	0	0
Unincorporated – Charter Oak	0	0
Unincorporated – Claremont	0	0
Unincorporated – Covina	19	112.97
Unincorporated – Covina (Charter Oak)	13	98.9
Unincorporated – Del Aire	6	136.58
Unincorporated – Del Rey	0	0
Unincorporated – Del Sur	3	124.22
Unincorporated – Desert View Highlands	2	80.22
Unincorporated – Duarte	6	135.5
Unincorporated – East Covina	0	0
Unincorporated – East La Mirada	7	132.28
Unincorporated – East Lancaster	0	0
Unincorporated – East Los Angeles	307	245.07
Unincorporated – East Pasadena	0	0
Unincorporated – East Rancho Dominguez	17	111.05
Unincorporated – East Whittier	4	75.39
Unincorporated – El Camino Village	6	68.25
Unincorporated – El Monte	0	0
Unincorporated – Elizabeth Lake	0	0
Unincorporated – Florence-Firestone	148	228.73
Unincorporated – Franklin Canyon	0	0
Unincorporated – Glendora	1	151.52
Unincorporated – Hacienda Heights	45	80.46
Unincorporated – Harbor Gateway	0	0
Unincorporated – Hawthorne	3	119.33
Unincorporated – Hi Vista	0	0
Unincorporated – Kagel/Lopez Canyons	1	70.82
Unincorporated – La Crescenta-Montrose	16	80.8
Unincorporated – La Habra Heights	0	0
Unincorporated – La Rambla	6	289.16
Unincorporated – La Verne	1	49.02
Unincorporated – Ladera Heights	15	212.13
Unincorporated – Lake Hughes	0	0
Unincorporated – Lake Los Angeles	15	115.44
Unincorporated – Lake Manor	2	121.73
Unincorporated – Lakewood	0	0
Unincorporated – Lennox	35	155.27
Unincorporated – Leona Valley	1	57.11
Unincorporated – Littlerock	4	99.48
Unincorporated – Littlerock/Juniper Hills	1	77.1
Unincorporated – Littlerock/Pearblossom	6	168.11
Unincorporated – Llano	1	114.03
Unincorporated – Lynwood	0	NA
Unincorporated – Marina del Rey	11	116.88
Unincorporated – Miracle Mile	0	0
Unincorporated – Monrovia	5	128.83
Unincorporated – Newhall	0	0
Unincorporated – North Lancaster	0	0
Unincorporated – North Whittier	6	71.77
Unincorporated – Northeast San Gabriel	13	54.09
Unincorporated – Palmdale	2	237.53
Unincorporated – Palos Verdes Peninsula	0	0
Unincorporated – Pearblossom/Llano	2	102.25
Unincorporated – Pellissier Village	0	0
Unincorporated – Placerita Canyon	0	0
Unincorporated – Pomona	0	0
Unincorporated – Quartz Hill	25	193.71
Unincorporated – Rancho Dominguez	10	375.8
Unincorporated – Roosevelt	0	0
Unincorporated – Rosewood	3	233.28
Unincorporated – Rosewood/East Gardena	0	0
Unincorporated – Rosewood/West Rancho Dominguez	5	148.77
Unincorporated – Rowland Heights	40	78.4
Unincorporated – San Clemente Island	0	0
Unincorporated – San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon	0	0
Unincorporated – San Jose Hills	16	79.13
Unincorporated – San Pasqual	0	0
Unincorporated – Sand Canyon	0	0
Unincorporated – Santa Catalina Island	2	749.06
Unincorporated – Santa Monica Mountains	9	48.33
Unincorporated – Saugus	2	1290.32
Unincorporated – Saugus/Canyon Country	0	0
Unincorporated – South Antelope Valley	0	0
Unincorporated – South Edwards	0	NA
Unincorporated – South El Monte	1	55.71
Unincorporated – South San Gabriel	7	79.11
Unincorporated – South Whittier	57	96.25
Unincorporated – Southeast Antelope Valley	0	0
Unincorporated – Stevenson Ranch	16	76.31
Unincorporated – Sun Village	4	66.27
Unincorporated – Sunrise Village	1	77.16
Unincorporated – Twin Lakes/Oat Mountain	4	241.25
Unincorporated – Universal City	0	NA
Unincorporated – Val Verde	4	120.88
Unincorporated – Valencia	4	130.21
Unincorporated – Valinda	26	111.25
Unincorporated – View Park/Windsor Hills	22	189.08
Unincorporated – Walnut	0	NA
Unincorporated – Walnut Park	39	241.59
Unincorporated – West Antelope Valley	2	132.36
Unincorporated – West Carson	52	235.44
Unincorporated – West Chatsworth	0	0
Unincorporated – West LA	19	1995.8
Unincorporated – West Puente Valley	10	101.68
Unincorporated – West Rancho Dominguez	2	147.17
Unincorporated – West Whittier/Los Nietos	29	107.71
Unincorporated – Westfield/Academy Hills	0	0
Unincorporated – Westhills	0	0
Unincorporated – White Fence Farms	2	54.3
Unincorporated – Whittier	3	79.28
Unincorporated – Whittier Narrows	0	0
Unincorporated – Willowbrook	41	117.43
Unincorporated – Wiseburn	4	66.37
–  Under Investigation	1286

 *These numbers are subject to change based on further investigation. Seventeen previously reported cases and one death were not in Public Health’s jurisdiction.

**– means that case numbers are suppressed (between 1 and 4 cases in communities <25,000 people).

***Rate is crude and is per 100,000. This represents the number of cases per 100,000 people and allows for the proportional comparison of cities of different sizes.

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

• 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: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

      Spanish https://espanol.cdc.gov/enes/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

• World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
• LA County residents can also call 2-1-1

The National Council on Aging (NCOA), a trusted national leader working to ensure that every person can age well, is warning that the financial hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic will push between 1.4 and 2.1 million more older Americans into poverty, and older adults with the least wealth will be the hardest hit.

That is the sobering conclusion of a recently published NCOA and LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston issue brief that looks at historical data from the 2008 recession and applies those findings to today’s economic and public health crisis.

“Recent history shows us that older adults suffer significant declines in net wealth during large and unanticipated economic downturns,” said Dr. Susan Silberman, NCOA Senior Director, Research & Evaluation. “A case in point is the Great Recession that began with the collapse of financial markets in 2008. A common trend seen across those aged 60 and older, regardless of age group or retirement status, was a decrease in total net wealth and taking on greater debt during times of recession.”

The issue brief also found that retired older adults were better able to weather the financial storm thanks in part to retirement benefits and Medicare. These findings underscore the importance of a societal safety net for older adults during times of economic upheaval.

Although the analysis focused on the potential financial risks to older adults during an impending recession, COVID-19 adds a health component that will likely have devastating consequences for this age demographic on top of any economic impacts.

“We know that health vulnerability and financial vulnerability overlap, which makes it crucial to consider how both of these factors will intersect for our nation’s older adults,” Silberman said. “Taking into account both the economic effects of a recession and the heightened health risk to our older citizens will be vital for navigating the impact of COVID-19 during this time of uncertainty.”

The full issue brief, Economic Insecurity for Older Adults in the Presence of the COVID-19 Pandemic, is available for download.