Covid-19 News & Resource

Regional Stay Home Orders -- New

'Our goal is simple, we want to bend the curve ...' 

-California Governor Gavin Newsom, March 19, 2020.

'... the vast majority of those infected [with COVID-19] get only mild cases that often resemble the flu ...'

 -'Your Nose Itches: Is it Allergies, Flu or the Coronavirus?' -New York Times, March 17, April 27, 2020

'For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms ...'

-'Hundreds Protest Against Stay-at-Home Order,' Associated Press, May 23, 2020

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WHAT CAN I DO TODAY IN CALIFORNIA?

Contact your state legislators

A. Stay Home Order Q & A | 9 months (and counting) since initial March 19th stay home order

B. New! Blueprint for a Safer Economy: Guidelines re: work, church, schools, shopping, protests -- visiting family and friends

C. New!  Riverside County Elementary School Waiver Status

Democrat 'Flatten the Curve' Economic Impact on Riverside County: 14.8% unemployment; 100,000 jobs lost (July, August reports).

 Riverside County, State Public Health Updates 

• Oct 28: Halloween -- Traditional Trick-or-Treat discouraged
• Oct. 20: Riverside falls to Purple Tier -- churches, restaurants, gyms ordered outside min 3 weeks (schools may continue in-person)
• Sep. 23: Riverside County enters Red Tier -- churches, restaurants, movie theaters, gyms may reopen with limited capacity
• Aug. 25: $4 Million Approved for Riverside County's 'Pathways to Employment' Program (for those who lost jobs from COVID-19 shutdowns
• Aug. 21: Riverside County Elementary Schools Can Apply for Waivers to Hold On-Campus Instruction
• Aug. 14: Advisory for Operation of Schools in Riverside County: 1) Under current State law, public and private schools in the County of Riverside are not permitted to open for in-person instruction 2) Applications for a waiver to permit in-person instructions are not yet being accepted with County of Riverside 3) Schools may adopt a distance learning, hybrid, or mixed delivery instructional model to ensure safety 4) Schools are not required to seek out or receive approval from a State or local Public Health Officer prior to adopting a distance learning model.
• Jul. 20: Advisory Concerning Live Music Events -- Riverside County Counsel
• Jul. 17: Transcript of Gov. Newsom press conference -- mandates 'distance learning' for Fall in 32 counties (inc. Riverside)
• Jul. 13: Transcript of Gov. Newsom press conference -- recloses indoor worship services, malls, gyms, dining (inc Riverside)

Proponents for reopening the state and/or early use of hydroxchloroquine to save lives

• America's Frontline Doctors (website; exposes political hydroxchloroquine censorship over its success to treat COVID-19 in very early stages.
• Dan Erickson, M.D., Accelerated Urgent Care; co-interviewed April 28 with Dr. Oz: '... collaterial damage' of economic shutdown worse than virus.
• Joel Hay, USC Professor of Pharmaceutical and Health Economics: 'What is this nonsense? You don't shut down the globe!' -April 22 (video)
• John Ioannidis, Stanford Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology: '... Coronavirus Isn't As Fatal As We Thought,' -Mecury News, May 20
• Harvey A. Risch, M.D., Phd, Yale Professor of Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health and advocate for the early use of hydroxchloroquine: 'The Key to Defeating COVID-19 Already Exists. We Need to Start Using It.' -Newsweek, July 23

California

• Executive Order N-33-20 (Stay Home), issued March 19 by Gov. Gavin Newsom
• Essential Workforce: List of Critical Infrastructure Workers
• Letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom issued May 19 by Asst. U.S. Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband, Civil Rights Division: 'The Constitution calls for California to do more to accommodate religious worship' and 'there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights.' 
• Places of Worship JULY 1: 'Places of worship must therefore discontinue singing and chanting and limit indoor attendance to 25% of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower ...' (Section: Purpose, third paragraph). 

Photo (above): Traffic Deaths. Perhaps in California we shouldn't drive at all. -Photo Jacob E. Sloane/InterChurch News

• Leading Causes of Death, California 2017: Heart disease (62,797), Chronic lower respiratory illness (13,881), Accidents (13,840), Flu-pneumonia (6,340), Infant mortality rate (4.2% per 1000 live births) ...

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

CDC COVID-19 (PIC) Mortality Percentages vs. Epidemic Threshold: Week 27: 5.5 percent (June 28 - July 4); Week 28: 11.5 pecent (July 5 - 11); Week 29: 9.1 percent (July 12 - July 18).

Translating Doublespeak -- or the Mysterious 'Epidemic Threshold': Comparing Weeks 27 and 29 of CDC's PIC Mortality Percentages (or '11 weeks of declining COVID-19 deaths'). Notice when 'currently below the epidemic threshold' (Week 27) or 'currently above the epidemic threshold' (Week 28) -- the actual epidemic threshold percentage itself is omitted as a reference. The public doesn't know from this table what the 'current' epidemic threshold percentage is. What happened between weeks 27 and 29? The July 4th weekend, but also the.Black Lives Matter protests, riots and lootings erupted across the nation from May 25 throughout the summer. 

Photos: Aftermath of Black Lives Matter protests, riots and lootings in Santa Monica downtown business district suffering economic fallout. CDC statistics show a 6 percent and 3.5 percent increase in Covid-19 related deaths in CDC Weeks 28 and 29 (July 5 - July 18) - since July 4th weekend and nationwide BLM protests beginning May 25. The Covid-19 related mortality rate had been declining 11 weeks in a row.

Sample of July 4th weekend Black Lives Matter protests  (6% increase in COVID-19 deaths followed July 4th weekend)

• California: This Fourth of July, Here are Ways You Can Demonstrate for Racial Justice in California
• San Francisco: List of Upcoming Black Lives Matter protests in Bay Area July 4th
• Portland, OR: 38 Nights of Protests, Four Declared Riots in Five Days over July 4th Weekend (video)
• Washington D.C.:List: Here are Protests Happening in DC on Fourth July Weekend

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In-person schools -- even before a vaccine -- in Fall is 'critically important'

July 23: Preparing K-12 School Administrators for a Safe Return to School in Fall 2020

	July 23: 'It is critically important for our public health to open schools this fall. School closures had negative health consequences on our youth.' - Robert R. Redfield, CDC Director

• Communities, Schools, Workplace & Events -- Updated guidelines for where we live, work, learn and play.
• Considerations for Communities of Faith
• Coronavirus: U.S. Case & Death Count
• COVIDView -- A Weekly Surveillance Summary of U.S. COVID-19 Activity. 
• Faststats -- National Health Statistics by Topic (accidents, AIDS/HIV, deaths & mortality, diabetes, leading causes of death, pneumonia, suicides ...)

Ed. note: COVIDView Week 28 report (ending July 4) stated the U.S. is in the 12th week of decline in PIC-related deaths (Pneumonia, Influenza and COVID-19). CDC states the PIC mortality rate is 5.5% -- and is below the 5.8% epidemic threshold. Notable however, is that the CDC recently lowered the bar of an 'epidemic threshold' from a flu or disease spread of 7.3/7.2 % to the current 5.8% ratio. The 'epidemic threshold' now represents PIC DEATHS compared to ALL DEATHS in the U.S. (apples and oranges) -- instead of a traditional confirmed COVID-19 cases to confirmed COVID-19 deaths (apples and apples).

COVID-19 to COVID-19: To check the epidemic threshold, for example, of the July 13 U.S. COVID-19 case vs. death count: divide 3,296,599 cases by 5.8% = 191,202 deaths to reach epidemic threshold. However, 134,844 was the actual COVID-19 death count -- 56,000 deaths short of epidemic status. If the CDC's prior 2019 flu epidemic threshold of 7.3% was the applied standard, the COVID-19 U.S. death count would have to hit 240,651 (3,296,599 x 7.3%) to be considered an epidemic.

For July 13th, California reported 329,162 COVID-19 cases ('cases' include current cases, recoveries and deaths). With the CDC's new 5.8% epidemic threshold standard, it would take 19,091 coronavirus deaths to declare an epidemic -- by CDC standards -- in California. However, the total COVID-19 mortality rate was reported at 7,040 -- nearly two-thirds short of an epidemic threshold. 

U.S. Flu News

• 'US Flu Rates Still Under Epidemic Threshold, CDC says' -Contagion Live - Infectious Diseases Today, March 19, 2020. Take aways: 'The percentage of deaths atttributed to pneumonia and the flu is 7.1%, which is notable because it is below the [CDC] epidemic threshold of 7.3%.'  (See also China CDC report: 'Characteristics of and Important Lessons from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak in China,' Feb. 24, 2020: 'The overall case-fatality rate (CFR) was 2.3% (1023 deaths among 44,672 confirmed cases.')
• 'Flu Broke Records for Deaths, Illnesses in 2017-2018, new CDC numbers show,' Washington Post, September 26, 2018. Take aways: 'Influenza killed about 80,000 people in the 2017-2018 season, according to figures released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.' 'Last year was just a horrible season,' said Daniel Jernigan, head of the CDC's influenza division. 'It was just a tremendous amount of disease.'

Go Green: ILI (Influenza-like Illness) includes COVID-19 data of medical visits with flu-like symptoms (temperature of 100 degrees or greater, a cough, sore throat).

Ed. note: Looking back with 20/20 vision at the 2017-2018 flu season, CDC estimates the U.S. saw 810,000 flu-hospitalizations, 45 million flu-like illnesses and 80,000 flu-related deaths (revised to 61,000 in April 2020) -- in hindsight should California and the rest of the Union have issued 'shelter-in-place' orders for its essentially healthy workers -- or required schools and churches to be closed?

Top Pick: Sheriff Chad Bianco refuses to enforce 'unconstitutional' stay-home orders

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Emptied malls and ghost towns 

Moreno Valley Mall, 11:30 a.m., Thursday, July 16, 2020.

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Moreno Valley Mall, 11:30 a.m., Thursday, July 16, 2020.

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'Our goal is simple, we want to bend the curve, and disrupt the spread of the virus.'

-Governor Gavin Newsom, March 19, 2020 Executive Order N-33-20 (Stay Home)

May 6th: Congratulations Riverside County -- we Flattened the Curve!

On March 15th Riverside County Public Health

clarified 'the one goal' of local COVID-19 Orders:

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Riverside County Public Health projected 9,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations by May 6 -- there are 215 on April 29

Graph (above): The COVID-19 Projections model released March 31 by Riverside County Public Health reinforced the state and local 'flatten the curve' stay-at-home orders.

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Riverside, Calif., InterChurch News, April 29, 2020.

The Riverside County Public Health COVID-19 Projections model released March 31 forecast 60,000+ cases, 1000 deaths, 3000 ICU beds needed, 9,000 hospitalizations -- by May 6.

The April 29 COVID-19 statistics for Riverside County: 3,942 confirmed cases, 143 deaths, 78 patients in ICU and 215 currently hospitalized.

Riverside County has flattened the curve -- the goal for the initial March stay-at-home, no-gatherings, wear-a-mask local and state orders. 

Of course, for those who are in the hospital, or suffered the loss of a loved one, statistics don't mean much. But to the citizens and undocumented who have been under stay-at-home orders, have businesess, jobs, children and bills to pay -- the statistics are encouraging that life can (at least) begin to be normalized in Riverside County soon. 

Dr. Cameron Kaiser, the Riverside County public health officer who issued historic restrictive orders since March encompasing limited to no-public gatherings (including religious services), stay-at-home, face masks, social distancing, school closures, drive-in church services, sit-in dining services, funeral service limitations ... deserves credit (compare Riverside County COVID-19 statistics to New York City:12,287 confirmed deaths, 159,865 cases and 41,316 hospitalized to date).

And the 2.4 million Riverside County residents who sacrificed work, school, church (and other religious gatherings) and recreation since the middle of March deserve credit -- and consideration -- as well.

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A customer-empty gift shop -- the weekend before Christmas; Seaport Village, San Diego.

COVID-19 Federal, State, Local Government Assistance

• EDD: File Unemployment Claim (California)
• IRS: Get My Payment: Check Status of COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments
• Riverside County Board of Supervisors: Open mic available weekly Tuesdays inperson or by phone-in; optional inperson or view Board meetings livestream, and prior meetings via video archive (including historic May 5 and May 8 public meetings to rescind local public health orders).
• Riverside University Health System - Public Health: COVID-19 Orders, what to do, news & statistics
• U.S. Government Services and Infomation: Your online guide to government information and services.
• The White House: Task Force Response, what to do & news

Food & Shelter / Home Meals Delivered / VA Assistance

COVID-19 Local News:

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Face masks, social distancing orders extended until June 19

April 30. The County of Riverside health order prohibiting gatherings outside the home will expire at the end of today.

Beginning tomorrow -- May 1 -- the county will fall soley under the governor's stay-at-home order as it pertains to no gatherings -- and is extending the face coverings and a six-foot social distance requirements through June 19. 

Govenor Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order does not have an expiration date. 

'While we work with the governor's plan for re-opening the state, people must be mindful that COVID-19 has not been eliminated,' said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County Public Health Officer. 

'The new normal in Riverside County will still require social distancing, facial coverings and other precautions,' Kaiser said. 

Kaiser's orders closing all Riverside County schools and limiting short-term lodging until June 19 remain in effect. The initial all school closure order isssued March 13 was in effect from March 16 to April 3. 

The governor's order states that all California residents must stay home unless engaged in an essential business or activity, such as grocery shopping or visiting the doctor. Drive-in church services were clarified as an essential service -- in-person religious services are still not allowed. 

When the governor releases the stay-at-home order, Riverside County will be ready to move into the governor's second phase of reopening businesses. 

'As we begin to turn the corner, it is important that we also flatten the unemployment curve and work towards economic and social recovery,' said V. Manuel Perez, Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor and Board Chair. 

The no gathering, stay-at-home orders were necessary to 'flatten the curve' and slow the spread of the illness, which threatened to severely impact the county's health system. 

Riverside County projected over 60,000 COVID cases by early May with 9,000 hospitalizations and 1000 deaths. With 48,531 persons tested in the county as of April 29, less than 4,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed with 215 patients currently hospitalized and 143 deaths reported. 

-Compiled from RIVCO Public Health news release dated April 29 and previous RIVCO reports

Riverside County Launches Comprehensive Map of Food Resources

April 24. An increasing number of requests for resources has moved Riverside County to release an online map -- and app -- to connect residents to food resources.

Food Access gives directions to local senior meal sites, school district meal sites and food pantries within a 10-mile radius of an inquirers zip code.

The map also includes relevant details such as hours of operation, contact information and special populations served.

'Thank you to all the organizations that are making sure there is a safety net and our residents have food to eat,' stated V. Manuel Perez, Riverside County Board Chair and Fourth District Supervisor. 

As COVID-19 continues to cause uncertainty in the job market, many local organizations have introduced temporary food pantries. New food providers can email EOCMassCare@rivco.org to be added to the map.

Food Access is available on www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus and on the RivCoMobile app (available on iOS and Android). 

-Compiled from RIVCO Public Health new release dated April 23. 

Golfing, Tennis -- Limited Outdoor Activities May Resume

April 22. Private and public golf courses closed April 2 in Riverside County because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be allowed to operate -- but with restrictions under a revised order issued Monday. Social distancing and face coverings are still required. 

Golf (and tennis) shall be limited to foursomes. No caddies. No large gatherings, including fundraisers or tournaments will be permited before June 20, 2020. No in-person dining will be allowed in clubhouses.

Face coverings, such as scarves, bandanas and neck gaiters shall be worn by players and workers. 

Other outdoor activities allowed include hiking, biking and equestrian activities and other non-contact outdoor activities. Outdoor activities that remain prohibited include the use of picnic tables, playgrounds, team sports or other similar public events and gatherings. 

'Play is being cautiously reopened for observation,' said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer.

The order became effective April 20 after it was signed by Kaiser. The county clarified parks and trails remain open -- including parking lots. 

'Golf is an iconic part of our destination, our history and our economy,' said Scott White, chief operating officer of Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. 'We sincerely appreciate the news that golf will be reopened to allow our residents the opportunity to return to the sport they love.'

-Compiled from RIVCO Public Health news release dated April 20.

Testing Expanded to Include Residents Without Symptoms 

April 18. Riverside County residents who do not have coronavirus symptoms but want to be tested will now be able to. Officials say expanded testing will give health experts a better idea of the extent of the illness in Riverside County.

Those who want to be tested must call 800.945-6171 for an appointment -- drive-ups without appointments will be turned away.

A fifth testing site has been added at the Blythe Fairgrounds. The other four County testing site locations are Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio (Tuesdays -Saturdays), Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore (Sundays-Thursdays), Harvest Christian Fellowship parking lot in Riverside (Tuesdays-Saturdays) and the Perris Fairgrounds (Tuesdays-Saturdays).

-Compiled from RIVCO Public Health news release dated April 17. 

Beaches closed, masks required; Thornhill Broome Beach, Malibu, March 2020. -Photo InterChurch News

COVID-19 Local PH News Releases:  (Extensive list of PH orders, CDC News Release History)

• June 29: Order to reclose bars effective (Tuesday) June 30
• June 26: Recreational team sports, including youth sports, not permitted
• May 8: Riverside County reverts to state orders (Board of Supervisors 5-0 approves rescinding 3 of 4 local public health orders)
• April 29: Clarification of local health officers orders
• April 29: Health orders amended: face coverings, social distancing continues; 'COVID-19 has not been eliminated,' 'the new normal is ... '
• April 24: REVISED - FAQs of State and Riverside County Stay-at-Home Orders
• April 24: Riverside County receives $431 million from federal government under CARES Act
• April 23: Behavioral health support available to public to assist with coping and anxiety
• April 10: $100M to support child care for California essential workers 

COVID-19 Tracking: Ten City Regional Statistics

COVID-19 Riverside County Statistics by City: April 24 / May 11 / July 10 / August 20 

August 20: Ten City Regional: Canyon Lake: Cases-78, Deaths-1; Hemet: Cases-1,418, Deaths-38; Lake Elsinore: Cases-1,009, Deaths-17; Menifee: Cases-1,151, Deaths-16; Moreno Valley: Cases-4,913, Deaths-61; Murrieta: Cases-971, Deaths-20; Perris: Cases-1,791, Deaths-32; Riverside (City): Cases-6,946, Deaths-177; Temecula: Cases-865, Deaths-8; Wildomar: Cases-472, Deaths-11. Ten City cumulative statistics: Cases-19,614, Deaths-381 (increase of 10,506 cases, 128 deaths since July 10 reporting period = CFR: 1.2%)

July 10: Ten City Regional: Canyon Lake: Cases-32, Deaths-0; Hemet: Cases-629, Deaths-27; Lake Elsinore: Cases-450, Deaths-10; Menifee: Cases-492, Deaths-7; Moreno Valley: Cases-2,232, Deaths-38; Murrieta: Cases-473, Deaths-10; Perris: Cases-795, Deaths-17; Riverside (CIty): Cases-3,387, Deaths-139; Temecula: Cases-420, Deaths-0; Wildomar: Cases-198, Deaths-5. Ten City cumulative statistics: Cases-9,108, Deaths-253 (increase of 5,530 cases, 70 deaths since June 3 reporting period = CFR: 1.4%). 

June 3: Ten City Regional: Canyon Lake: Cases-12, Deaths-0; Hemet: Cases-282, Deaths-21; Lake Elsinore: Cases-180, Deaths-8; Menifee: Cases-180, Deaths-6; Moreno Valley: Cases-833, Deaths-24; Murrieta: Cases-124, Deaths-7; Perris: Cases-348, Deaths-7; Riverside (City): Cases-1393, Deaths-106; Temecula: Cases-150, Deaths-0; Wildomar: Cases-66, Deaths-4. Ten City cumulative statistics: Cases-3,578, Deaths-183 (increase of 571 cases, 28 deaths since May 22 reporting period = CFR: 5%). 

May 22: Ten City Regional: Canyon Lake: Cases-12, Deaths-0; Hemet: Cases-241, Deaths-19; Lake Elsinore: Cases-153, Deaths-8; Menifee: Cases-147, Deaths-5; Moreno Valley: Cases-702, Deaths-22; Murrieta: Cases-115, Deaths-6; Perris: Cases-288, Deaths-5; Riverside (City): Cases-1,156, Deaths-86; Temecula: Cases-132, Deaths-0; Wildomar: Cases-61, Deaths-4. Ten City cumulative statistics: Cases-3,007, Deaths-155 (increase of 478 cases, 35 deaths since May 11 reporting period = CFR: 7.4%).

May 11: Ten City Regional: Canyon Lake: Cases-12, Deaths-0; Hemet: Cases-213, Deaths-14; Lake Elsinore: Cases-119, Deaths-7; Menifee: Cases-129, Deaths-4; Moreno Valley: Cases-588, Deaths-17; Murrieta: Cases-106, Deaths-4; Perris: Cases-232, Deaths-4; Riverside (City): Cases-961, Deaths-67; Temecula: Cases-111, Deaths-0; Wildomar: Cases-58, Deaths-4. Ten City cumulative statistics: Cases-2,529, Deaths-121 (increase of 878 cases, 63 deaths since April 24 reporting period = CFR: 7.2%).

April 24: Ten City Regional: Canyon Lake: Cases-9, Deaths-0; Hemet: Cases-162, Deaths-8; Lake Elsinore: Cases-87, Deaths-2; Menifee: Cases-97, Deaths-3; Moreno Valley: Cases-342, Deaths-13; Murrieta: Cases-89, Deaths-3; Perris: Cases-138, Deaths-2; Riverside (City): Cases-597, Deaths-25; Temecula: Cases-88, Deaths-0; Wildomar: Cases-42, Deaths-2. Ten City cumulative statistics: Cases-1,651, Deaths-58 (increase of 454 cases, 26 deaths since April 17 reporting period = CFR: 5.8%).

April 17: Ten City Regional: Canyon Lake: Cases-8, Deaths-0; Hemet: Cases-106, Deaths-3; Lake Elsinore: Cases-72, Deaths-2; Menifee: Cases-79, Deaths-1; Moreno Valley: Cases-249, Deaths-8; Murrieta: Cases-69, Deaths-2; Perris: Cases-99, Deaths-0; Riverside (City): Cases-407, Deaths-14; Temecula: Cases-78, Deaths-0; Wildomar: Cases-30, Deaths-2. Ten City cumulative statistics: Cases-1,197, Deaths-32 (increase of 511 cases, 18 deaths since April 12 reporting period = CFR: 3.6%).

April 12: Ten City Regional: Canyon Lake: Cases-4, Deaths-0; Hemet: Cases-31, Deaths-0; Lake Elsinore: Cases-51, Deaths-1; Menifee: Cases-50, Deaths-1; Moreno Valley: Cases-143, Deaths-4; Murrieta: Cases-52, Deaths-1; Perris: Cases-49, Deaths-0; Riverside (City): Cases-223, Deaths-6, Temecula: Cases-59, Deaths-0; Wildomar: Cases-24, Deaths-1. Ten City cumulative statistics: Cases-686, Deaths-14.