City Of Hermosa Beach Coronavirus Update For February 4, 2021

Press release from the City of Hermosa Beach:

February 4, 2021

To help keep the community informed, the City of Hermosa Beach is providing regular updates featuring the latest news about COVID-19; related local updates; and how the City is working to meet the needs of the community and protect public health.

Watch Super Bowl Safely on Sunday: Public Health experts are encouraging everyone to watch the Super Bowl safely at home with your immediate household or outside with a small group of friends wearing face coverings and maintaining a physical distance of at least 6 feet. The revised Health Officer Order issued last Friday prohibits bars and restaurants having TVs turned on, so watching at local restaurants and bars is not an option this year.

As L.A. County Department of Public Health (Public Health) reported this week, the County is “still living through the nightmare of a surge.” It noted that “some restrictions have been lifted, but now is not the time to relax. Now is the time to remain super vigilant against this deadly virus and continue to stay home as much as possible.”

On Tuesday, Public Health reported the County had surpassed 17,000 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic. The County has experienced more than 7,000 new COVID-19 deaths in a little over a month. By comparison, deaths between February and October 2020 totaled 7,000.

Public Health also warned about the spread of the coronavirus variant first identified in Britain. The variant, known as B.1.1.7, has been identified in 467 people in 32 states. Florida has seen the most cases, with at least 147, followed by California, with at least 113. B.1.1.7 is expected to become the dominant variant within weeks. L.A. County officials announced the second confirmed case Saturday and said it is spreading in the county.

Public Health Revises Restaurant Protocols: L.A. Department of Public Health on Wednesday added a new protocol to its revised Public Health Order that requires restaurant staff to verbally notify customers that everyone sharing a table at the restaurant must be from the same household. This is in addition to signage that is required to alert guests of this requirement, which is aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Inspectors Visiting Businesses; Encouraging Compliance to Keep Economy Open: With additional sectors open, L.A. County Department of Public Health said Tuesday that its inspectors are going out to make sure businesses are in compliance with the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order. During recent business compliance checks, inspectors noted that many newly reopened restaurants were not in compliance with employee face-covering and shelter structure requirements. To remain open, all businesses are required to adhere fully with their sector specific protocols.

From January 24 through January 27, Public Health reported that 48 citations were issued to businesses including restaurants, gyms, personal care salons, hair salons/barber shops and shopping malls for noncompliance with Health Officer Orders. Since the end of August, 844 citations have been issued.

Public Health said the success of the County's recovery depends on businesses following the rules. Businesses that are not adhering to safety protocols to protect workers and customers increase the risk of COVID-19 spread, which could cause the closure of businesses as they enter their busier Spring and Summer seasons.

Hermosa Beach COVID-19 Deaths Continue to Rise: Hermosa Beach continues to see a rise in COVID-19 cases, and the L.A. County Department of Public Health has listed two additional COVID-19 deaths in the City this week. That brings the total number of deaths to 9 in Hermosa Beach since the beginning of the pandemic. Public Health doesn’t provide any details on the people who have passed away due to COVID-19. The City sends it heartfelt condolences to the family and friends who have lost their loved ones to this horrible virus.

Hermosa Beach City School Update: The Hermosa Beach City School District recently distributed a letter to the community to update parents on school construction. The letter says that Erickson Hall Construction Company (EHCC) has notified the school district that the Hermosa Vista School (formerly North School) project has been impacted by delays and will not be completed by the scheduled start date of February 22, 2021. Since March 2020, the project has been mired in COVID-related delays that included utilities, subcontractors, and suppliers.

The new completion timeline will be April 2021. Until that time, TK-2 students and staff will remain at Hermosa View School during the hybrid reopening. Third grade students and staff will proceed with the move to Hermosa Valley School during the President’s Week holiday on February 15 – 19.

The move to the completed Vista School will take place during Spring Break on April 5 – 9 and officially open for students on Monday, April 12. TK-2 students and staff will complete the remainder of the year at Vista School.

Vaccine Update: California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the State has partnered with FEMA to open a new vaccine site, which will be opening Feb. 16 at California State University, Los Angeles. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) will not be opening any new COVID-19 vaccine sites including the proposed site in Manhattan Beach. Public Health is actively vaccinating health care workers, staff and residents at long-term care and skilled nursing facilities, and residents ages 65 and older. To book an appointment and learn more about vaccine distribution in LA County, please visit VaccinateLACounty.com or call (833) 540-0473 from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM 7 days a week. Californians can now sign up to get notified when it’s their turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. To sign up, go to myturn.ca.gov.

Small Business Grants Available: Round 2 of the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program opens on February 2nd and closes on February 8th. For more information on how to apply, please visit careliefgrant.com.

Small Business Stabilization Loans Available: Los Angeles County has launched the Small Business Stabilization Loan Program designed to provide eligible businesses with a competitive interest rate for loans ranging from $50,000 to $3 million.

The Small Business Stabilization Loan Program application portal opened on Jan. 28 and will remain open indefinitely. The Program offers technical assistance from partners who offer complementary online webinars, one-on-one financial consultations, application assistance, and an evaluation of a business' readiness to submit an LACDA loan application. Technical assistance is available in various languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), and Korean. For more information on the requirements to apply for the Small Business Stabilization Loan Program, please visit BizStabilization.lacda.org.

COVID-19 Safety Program Training Available: L.A. County is helping train businesses on the implementation of COVID-19 safety protocols through a no-cost online training course called the COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certification Program (CSCCP). Once completed, business owners receive a certificate, and window seal to display on their storefront, which can reassure employees and customers alike that the business is following COVID-19 infection control and physical distancing requirements.

Los Angeles County Update: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 239 new deaths and 5,028 new cases of COVID-19. To date, Public Health identified 1,134,338 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 17,539 deaths. There are 4,990 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 27% of these people are in the ICU. A month after the winter holidays, the County continues experiencing the deadly toll of the holiday surge, reporting daily deaths over 200 people.

Public Health reported 1,351 ongoing outbreak investigations. Of these, 23% are related to outbreaks at worksites. Business owners and business operators must take the necessary steps that protect workers and customers and adhere to infection control and distancing directives. In addition to following infection control directives, businesses need to immediately alert Public Health when there are three or more cases at a worksite. Directives and checklists for all businesses to follow are available online.

Public Health discourages residents from visiting or patronizing businesses not following the rules because it increases the risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. Non-compliance and dangerous conditions at businesses can be reported to Public Health by phone at 888-700-9995 or online at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov. These tips can be submitted anonymously.

Latest Facts and Figures

Jurisdiction - Reported Cases | Reported Deaths

• Hermosa Beach - 838 | 9
• L.A. County - 1,134,338 | 17,539
• California - 3,294,447 | 42,466
• United States - 26,398,337 | 449,020

*All reported data is from the close of the previous day.

Additional Resources

Please continue to follow public health experts’ recommendations to avoid spreading the coronavirus including frequent handwashing, wearing a face covering, keeping a safe distance from one another, and staying home if you are ill. Public Health has issued the following guidance during this time of increased spread: If you are mildly sick, stay home for at least seven days or until 72 hours after being fever free, whichever is longer. Call your doctor if you are concerned and/or your symptoms worsen. Individuals who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or pregnant should consider contacting their providers earlier when they are sick. More information is available here.

We are monitoring updates and sharing information about the coronavirus from trusted sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California Department of Public Health, and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

This press release was produced by the City of Hermosa Beach. The views expressed are the author's own.