Friday, April 17. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office announced the development of CARES Corps. This will be a federally funded initiative to be a stronger national response to COVID-19. The Mayor of Los Angeles joined the Mayor of Oklahoma City, David Holt and founding director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, Mark McClellan to outline a “brand new infrastructure.” The CARES Corps is an alliance of the national government, local public officials, and healthcare professionals that are under federal leadership and funding. Within the CARES Corps there are three core factors that it will focus on healthcare, economy, and the unity of Government Officials.
The program is looking to work as the long-term economic solution, since coronavirus has damaged the delicate balance of the national economy. CARES Corps are built on six pillars: testing, real-time surveillance, rapid response to new cases, hospital capacity, blood testing, and ongoing research. Much like the pillars Mayor Garcetti outlined April 15. The CARES initiative is looking to create an immediate difference. It is a fusion of federal leadership, public health, and local government. This is looking to assist with preventing reduction in resources for all Americans when there is high demand on every scale.
CARES Corps. Is looking to be a bridge between government and local businesses, by providing job training, loan programs, and unemployment insurance. A priority of this program is to match solutions to the need of every community. The CARES Corps initiative will be doing frontline activities such as attaining food supply, health safety, and medical necessities. Other actions under this initiative includes childcare, assistance for the elderly, and expanding more care towards families and people with disability.
As of Friday, April 17. Eric Garcetti summarized the current COVID-19 statistics surrounding Los Angeles. There were 40 additional deaths confirmed on Friday, this brings the total coronavirus related deaths in the L.A. County to 495. There were 567 new COVID-19 incidents reported April 17. In summary, there is a total amount of 11,391 coronavirus cases in the Los Angeles region. It’s been four full weeks that the Stay At Home Order has been initiated. While deaths are doubling, there are alleged stories of people fraying away from the social distancing guidelines, Mayor Garcetti ensured that that’s not what Los Angeles is seeing.
Mayor Garcetti advised that those who are showing even the slightest symptoms, should get tested for coronavirus. The Los Angeles Mayor acknowledge the growth in the city’s testing system, last week we had 19 testing systems. Presently, there are 30 testing sites available. A collaboration was built between the L.A. Unified Coordination Group, Los Angeles public officials, local political board offices, and the Fire Department Incident Management team, along with healthcare stake holders across the L.A. region. By the end of Friday, 67,000 Angelenos will be tested for coronavirus; that’s double the amount that were tested last Friday.
The Los Angeles Mayor acknowledged the severe impact COVID-19 has on working families and the unsheltered. Eric Garcetti disclosed an initiative for affordable housing extensions; all housing deadlines will be extended. This will prevent the loss of funding for all affordable housing projects. Mayor Eric mentioned there will be more street assistance and professional medical personnel available to service Angelenos that are unsheltered. Testing will be immediately available for those vulnerable to the elements. There are use of trailers for those that are in the tier one bracket of being most vulnerable and unsheltered. Dozens of negotiations are happening between the L.A. County and hotels and motels, to join the project “Room and Key.” under that initiative; more beds will become available.
There are plenty of resources for people who had their job impacted as well. Critical roles within food delivery, grocery stores, and medical staffing are all looking for qualified workers. Applicants for the Angeleno Cards will be getting more information regarding the time they will receive their cards. It will be financial assistance to those who were able to be a part of this batch receiving the prepaid debit card. There will be more information about the next round of Angeleno Cards that will be available. The County of Los Angeles continue to develop the best strategies to progress to a state of recovery.
