Thursday, March 26. Chairwoman of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, Kathryn Barger and Chair Pro Tem, Hilda Solis collaborate with the L.A. Public Health Department to disclose new developments regarding the COVID-19 virus. Considering the relief bill that passed through senate with no opposed vote, Los Angeles city officials decipher what this will mean for L.A. residents during this time of crisis.
Social distancing is an act of serving the greater good of the community. Supervisor Kathryn Barger shared that statement regarding the overwhelming inquiry from Angelenos looking to be of assistance. She also made a plea to donate blood, due to the abrupt drop in volunteers because of the coronavirus . All donors, staff, and volunteers will have their temperatures taken to confirm they are suitable to donate or volunteer within that setting. Chairwoman Barger noted to be mindful of your neighbors, “Pick up groceries, medications, and toiletries for seniors and for those with other health concerns…”
The L.A. City officials focused on “Flattening the Curve.” Following the guidelines and remaining inside; it’s the only defense against the severe respiratory syndrome that is sweeping the nation. The primary focus of the Emergency Operation Center is to emphasize that everyone should be practicing essential safety measures. Some of the guidelines include staying six ft away from everyone when out in public, social distancing, and spend at least 20 seconds washing your hands thoroughly.
Every day, the L.A. county has been working on assisting residents and property owners. Under the direction of Chair Pro Tem Supervisor Hilda Solis, the county treasurer and tax collectors are looking to trouble shoot with impacted property owners. They are looking to waive penalties for late property tax payments, this will be on a case by case basis. The goal is to prevent further adversity. Hilda Solis discussed the two trillion-dollar federal relief bill, it passed through senate unanimously on March 25. She shared that the bill would continue to undergo more voting by the House of Representatives, and then it will require the U.S. president’s signature. Solis explained, “It is one of the largest economic recovery bills past by the senate in our history.” Supervisor Solis went on to analyze what this means for Los Angeles.
The emergency 2.2 trillion-dollar relief will send checks to more than 150 million American households; ranging from $600-$1,200. There will be enormous loan programs for small and big businesses, and the bill would ensure billions of dollars would go into unemployment insurance programs. The two trillion stimulus package would provide about 17 billion dollars for hospitals. The bill also includes support for Homeless assistance and rental assistance programs.
Public Health Director, Barbara Ferrer broke down the latest news surrounding the coronavirus in the L.A. region. As of March 26, there is a report of 9 additional deaths. Bringing the total of COVID-19 related deaths to 21.
There are 421 new Public Health Director, Barbara Ferrer reports, and in the last 48 hours there has been 559 new cases. In summary, this brings the total amount of reported cases in the Los Angeles region to 1,216. This total includes 41 reports coming from Long Beach and 9 cases in Pasadena. This increased rate is due to the incline in testing, there are more tests available, in addition to the public health department going through cases that were delayed.
Ferrer noted, if there are 1,000 people positive with the COVID-19 virus, and each of those people infect two more, there could be a spread of the virus to over one million people within Los Angeles. The only defense available is to stay inside as much as possible; all of the county officials reiterated the severity of abiding by all the essential safety measures and public orders that can be reviewed at the following website cdc.gov/coronavirus.
