Wednesday, May 20, The Los Angeles Emergency Center delivered news surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. The L.A. County Public Health Department shared statistics behind the positive case counts and coronavirus related death rates. Tuesday, the Economic Resiliency Task Force announced the possibility for July 4 to be a robust push into reopening the economy across the board. Supervisor Kathryn Barger leads the taskforce and sees the urgency for Los Angeles to get back to business. The city leaders will collaborate to form a safe procedure and calculate if July is a reasonable time to get back to full operational power.
L.A. County is in collaboration with the leaders in different branches of business, developing a “fast-track” plan to accommodate the progression of workflow. A multitude of businesses are looking to propose a motion to resume operating safely by July. Sectors looking to be liberated by July 4 include Bioscience, hospitality, education, and entertainment. The main focus is to find balance between restoring the economy and preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Barbara Ferrer, Director of Public Health disclosed the latest updates surrounding the COVID-19 Virus. As of Wednesday, May 20, Ferrer acknowledged the growing death rate in Los Angeles, there were 57 additional deaths, 30 of these individuals were between the ages of 65 and over, 24 of them with underlining health conditions. 12 people were between the ages of 41-65, six of them had preexisting medical concerns. Two victims were under the age of 41 with underlining health conditions, this brings the total COVID-19 related deaths in the L.A. County to 1,970.
Information collected from the coronavirus death rates, where race and ethnicity was identified in 1,826 fallen victims showcased 12% were African American, 18% were Asian, 1% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 39% were LatinX, 29% were white, and 1% identified with another race or ethnicity.
Ferrer disclosed as of May 20, there are 1,324 new coronavirus reports. These numbers reflect 1,362 positive cases in Long Beach and 704 COVID-19 reports coming from Pasadena. In summary there are 40,857 positive COVID-19 cases in the Los Angeles region. Within the unsheltered community, there were 314 positive coronavirus cases. This includes 157 reports coming from shelters, they are now appropriately isolated. Approximately 23% of those infected with COVID-19 are hospitalized at some point. 92% of positive cases that died, had underlining health conditions.
The Economic Resiliency Task Force gathered representatives from each working sector, to share the affects that COVID-19 had on different parts of working industries. Supervisor Barger described the meeting as “sobering,” employees and businesses are suffering. The prolong closure due to the Safer at Home Order created a truth that some small businesses may not be able to re-open. The task force leaders are looking to come up with plans over the next six weeks to restart their industry and organizations in a safe manner. The goal is to have proposals submitted and approved by the public health department and board of supervisors by the end of June, in order to implement the plans for reopening by July 4. Barger stated, “I remain focused on working with health officials, industry leaders, and community stakeholders toward a safe and stable recovery.”
