By the Numbers (Long Beach only):
- 4 positive results
- 15 negative results
- 11 pending results
- Approximately 70 persons currently being monitored
Today’s Highlights:
- The City urges that people remain calm. Please follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for guidance for our residents.
- Mayor Robert Garcia has announced that, starting next week, Long Beach City Council meetings will take place via teleconference.
- Long Beach Unified School District announced Friday, March 14, that it will close schools beginning Monday, March 16. School will resume Monday, April 20. A press conference about the school closures can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsLCMg0uWHY.
- Yesterday, March 13, the federal governmentdeclared a National State of Emergencyconcerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
- Utilities including Southern California Edisonand the Long Beach Water Dept. are temporarily suspending shutoffs.
- City residents are strongly encouraged to sign up for Alert Long Beach to receive emergency notifications to their mobile phone and/or email address.
- The Joint Information Center remains open throughout the weekend and during normal business hours: 562.570.NEWS (6397),jic@longbeach.gov.
- The Incident Management Team remains fully operational.
This Week’s Highlights:
- The City of Long Beach established an information hotline for businesses, workers and employers in Long Beach. That number is operated during normal business hours at 562.570.4BIZ (4249).
- This respiratory disease outbreak has no impact on the quality or supply of Long Beach’s tap water and should not disrupt water or sewer service to Long Beach Water’s customers. Details here.
- Thursday, March 12, Long Beach Health Officer, Dr. Anissa Davis, signed a declaration that prohibits all large-scale events in the city. This declaration is effective immediately and will remain in effect through April 30, 2020, unless further action is taken by the Health Officer to lessen or expand the order.
- On Tuesday, March 10, in a unanimous decision, Long Beach City Council adopted a resolution to ratify the City Manager’s Proclamation of Local Emergency and ratify the Long Beach Health Officer’s Declaration of Local Health Emergency regarding the serious and imminent threat of an outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic. Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO’s or the City of Long Beach’s assessment of the threat posed by this virus. It doesn’t change what WHO is doing, and it doesn’t change what countries—or local jurisdictions—should do.
What you need to know NOW:
- Based on data out of China, where this virus first emerged, older adults and persons of all ages who have serious long-term health problems seem to be at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness.
- It’s important that people who are at higher risk of serious COVID-19 illness take special precautions to reduce their risk of getting sick.
- CDC has guidance for what people at higher risk should do at this time
- Threat of local transmission of COVID-19 does not necessitate additional preparation beyond standard emergency preparedness. Households should always be prepared in the case of a natural disaster. www.ready.gov has a list of recommended preparation steps, including:
- Store a two week supply of food and other important items such as pet food.
- Periodically check your regular prescription drugs to ensure a continuous supply in your home.
- Have any nonprescription drugs and other health supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes and vitamins.
- Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what will be needed to care for them in your home.
- See more at www.ready.gov/pandemicor see CDC’s Recommendations for How to Get your Household Prepared for COVID-19
- The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, Health Department Operations Center is activated at a Level I, and is conducting an extensive contact investigation, following up with individuals who may have been exposed as a result of the presumptive positive cases.
- Because COVID-19 is not yet widespread in Long Beach, the City’s priority is informing and educating the public on personal protective measures in an effort to control the disease.
- The City of Long Beach continues to monitor the situation 24/7 in coordination with local, state and federal officials.
COVID Testing Glossary:
- Positive – Includes cases not yet confirmed by CDC, as well as confirmed cases. The CDC confirms the test result; for information about CDC confirmation process, contact CDC. The term “presumptive positive” has been used in previous communications to indicate positive test results not yet confirmed by CDC.
- Negative – Number of people who have received a negative test result.
- Pending – Number of people who have been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting results.
- Monitored – The DHHS is closely monitoring individuals who may have been exposed.
A Note About Quarantine and Isolation:
Quarantine is used by public health professionals to separate potentially exposed individuals from the public in the case that they become symptomatic and thus contagious to others. Being in quarantine is not an indication that a person has or is likely to have COVID-19. Quarantined people are asked to limit their contact with others for 14 days, and may be excluded from work or school. Quarantined people should notify their provider immediately if they begin experiencing symptoms. Should they begin exhibiting symptoms, they may be required to isolate.
Isolation means separating a person that is sick in order to prevent them spreading the virus to others. People may be asked to self-isolate at home while they are being tested, while they recover, or they may be isolated in a healthcare setting if they need medical support to recover.
Who To Call & Additional Resources:
- Up-To-Date Local Information on COVID-19:www.longbeach.gov/COVID19 and @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Highlights can be found using the hashtag #COVID19LongBeach.
- Hotline Numbers:
- Media Inquiries: 562.570.NEWS (6397) or jic@longbeach.gov
- Business Information Line (normal business hours): 562.570.4BIZ (4249)
- Public Information Line (normal business hours): 562.570.INFO (4636)
- Health Providers:
Normal hours: 562.570.4302
After hours emergency only: 562.500.5537
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:www.CDC.GOV/COVID19