September 22, 2020
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and Beach Cities Health District advise residents to get the flu vaccine.

Why get the flu vaccine?
  • It’s the best way to prevent the flu.
  • It’s safe.
  • It protects you against the harmful effects of flu. Every year, tens of thousands of people nationwide are hospitalized or die from flu-related illness.
  • You can protect others who are too young or unable to get vaccinated.
  • It can help keep people out of the hospital which will prevent overwhelming the healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Who should get the flu vaccine?
Beach Cities Health District advises residents to follow flu vaccination guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions.
High-risk populations include:
  • Children younger than two years old
  • Pregnant women
  • Persons 65 years of age and older
  • People with chronic medical conditions (e.g. asthma, lung disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes)

Where do I get a flu vaccine?
  • Your healthcare provider
  • Local providers and retailers, including pharmacies
  • Visit a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Clinic
Preventive Tips to Protect Against COVID-19 and the Flu
Guidance for Celebrating Halloween
As fall approaches, families start to plan for the upcoming holiday season beginning with Halloween. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has created guidance to help families plan early and identify safer alternatives to celebrate, while reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19. Learn what activities are permitted and recommended here.

Check out these AdventurePlex Halloween kid activities for your family to celebrate while safer at home:
COVID-19 Threat Remains High
COVID-19 is still widespread and needs to continue to be taken seriously. Los Angeles County remains in the highest risk level, Tier 1 (purple). Because COVID-19 can be deadly to anyone and can be spread by individuals who do not show symptoms, the guidance continues to be essential for everyone. We need to commit to the behaviors we know will reduce our infection rate and slow the spread of the virus:
  • Limit going out in public to what is essential
  • Keep at least six feet apart from others when out in public
  • Wear a face covering
  • Wash hands frequently
  • Avoid gatherings with people you don't live with
  • Isolate if you are sick
  • Get tested if you have symptoms or think you were exposed to someone with COVID-19
These are effective tools, that when used consistently, save lives.
As of 9/21/2020
206
354
546
Unhealthy Air Quality due to Smoke from Wildfires
Wildfire smoke is a mixture of small particles, gases and water vapor. It can cause burning eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat, headaches and illness like bronchitis. It can also cause difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, fatigue and chest pain for people with sensitive conditions. Protect yourself and your family from the harmful effects of unhealthy or poor air quality with these tips.
There's still time to complete the 2020 Census!
The census can shape many different aspects of your community - health clinics, fire departments, schools, even roads and highways. The results help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into states and communities each year and also determine how many seats in Congress each state gets. Complete the 2020 Census here.
Special Enrollment for Covered CA: September 1 - November 1
People who experience a qualifying life event can newly enroll in a health plan through Covered California even outside the open-enrollment period. This is called special enrollment. Learn more.

Need help navigating the online application? 
Beach Cities Health District continues to be a Certified Enrollment Entity and offers enrollment assistance and support for individuals applying for Covered California and Medi-Cal. Please contact (310) 374-3426 ext. 256 for assistance.
Healthy Living Campus
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT PROCESS
At the June 17, 2020 BCHD Board of Directors meeting, the refined Draft Healthy Living Campus Master Plan and financials were presented. The Board voted to continue the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process ⁠— originally started in June 2019, with five scoping meetings, including one in Torrance.

The EIR will now incorporate a more compact Draft Healthy Living Campus Master plan as the basis of the project description, which will inform the public and project decision-makers about significant environmental effects and identify feasible methods to minimize or avoid those effects.
 
With the EIR process ongoing, no final decisions regarding the proposed campus have been made. The concept phase is completed, and we are now heading into the environmental analysis. We expect the Draft EIR to be released in late 2020/early 2021.
Virtual Moai Social: Book Discussion
We will discuss "Mastering Your Motivation: Three Scientific Truths for Achieving Your Goals" by Susan Fowler. Kathleen Terry will guide us on how each of us can stop bad habits, start new ones and support ourselves and others in setting meaningful goals that we are motivated to accomplish.
Wednesday, September 23
4 p.m.
Virtual BCHD Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, September 23
6:30 p.m.
Virtual Blue Zones Project Cooking Show
Learn about Blue Zones Project inspired food from registered dietitian, Marissa Martorana, and get a taste of how to live longer, better. This month's topic is "Better Breakfast Month." 
Tuesday, September 29
4 - 5 p.m.
Virtual Active Aging Week
Act toward maintaining and improving your health. Enjoy free virtual lectures from Dr. William Kim, BCHD's Chief Medical Officer, Dianne Staso, CHF's Registered Dietitian and local health experts.
October 5 - 9
Virtual Walk to School Day
Although Walk to School Day is virtual, it’s still a great idea for students and families to be active! We encourage you to walk together as a family. Choose a time that works for you and share photos of your walk on social media (use #WalktoSchoolDay)!
 Wednesday, October 7
Virtual Mindfulness Drop-In
Take 30 minutes to downshift and practice mindfulness techniques the first Wednesday of each month.  
 Wednesday, October 7
4 - 4:30 p.m.
Virtual Blue Zones Project Social Hour
Enjoy good company and practice a few Power 9 Principles of Longevity, including Down Shift and Right Tribe. Our special guest will be Natural World Market & Cafe. Relax, bring your healthy bites and connect with your community!
Tuesday, October 13
4 - 5 p.m.
Virtual Mental Health & Happiness: An Introduction to the Series
This introduction provides an overview of the series designed to support well-being through gratitude, empathy, bravery and purpose. Learn techniques to build a practice supporting stress resilience and positive social connections.
 Friday, October 16
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Virtual Families Connected Speaker Series "Stress Resilience for Your Family During COVID-19" presented by Dr. Kelly Greco, PsyD
Hear Dr. Greco speak about strength-based practices like positive psychology and solution-focused strategies to build resiliency and help the community thrive.
 Thursday, October 22
6:30 - 8 p.m.
Virtual Families Connected Parent Chat
A free parent support group led by a licensed professional from the Thelma McMillen Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment at Torrance Memorial Medical Center held in partnership with South Bay Families Connected. Open to all parents.
Mondays
10 – 11 a.m.
Virtual Happiness Chat
This is a casual discussion group with light-hearted activities to spark conversation. Share ideas, tips, resources, jokes, quotes – anything that supports our happiness!
Tuesdays
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
#LiveWellAtHome
Get unlimited access to all Center for Health & Fitness live virtual exercise classes for a monthly fee of $32. Small Group Training is also available virtually for $12 per class. Learn more.
COVID-19 Testing at BCHD Campus 514 N. Prospect
Los Angeles County's testing criteria includes:
  • Those who have COVID-19 symptoms: Fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea
  • Those who have had a known exposure to COVID-19, including those who were in close contact with someone with COVID-19 
  • Those who live or work in a high-risk setting (such as skilled nursing facilities, group homes, residential care facilities and persons experiencing homelessness) 
  • In accordance with California Department of Health Testing Guidance, testing is also available when there is additional testing capacity if you do not have symptoms and you are an essential worker with frequent contacts with the public in these sectors: health care, emergency services, food and grocery, retail or manufacturing, public transportation, and education. To view a complete list of essential worker groups from the California Department of Public Health, click here.
If you're unsure if you need a test, check with your health care provider. If you don’t have a health care provider, call 211 to get a referral.

If you are unable to receive testing through your provider, please continue to check the site for availability at Los Angeles County sites, or make an appointment at a Los Angeles City, state-operated or community testing site such as CVS by visiting covid19.lacounty.gov/testing. Tests are free of charge and are by appointment only. 
COVID-19 Testing Guidance from the CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clarified their testing guidance on September 18 to include testing for asymptomatic persons, including close contacts of a case, due to significant asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission. Asymptomatic means a person has no symptoms.
For an overview of testing from the CDC, click here.
What to expect after you've been tested for COVID-19
If you are awaiting testing results, you should stay home and act as if you are positive. This means self-isolating for 10 days and 24 hours after fever subsides and symptoms improve. If a person tests positive for COVID-19, they should plan on receiving a call from a contact tracer to discuss how to protect themselves and others, to find out where they may have been, and who they were in close contact with while infectious. If you are positive for COVID-19 and have not yet connected with a public health specialist or need more information on services, call toll-free at 1-833-540-0473. Residents who do not have COVID-19 should continue to call 211 for resources or more information.

If a person tests negative, they must continue to take every precaution to avoid contracting the virus or spreading the virus to others.
Need help?
If you or someone you know in the Beach Cities needs help with health-related information and referrals, or errand assistance and meal delivery, please call our Assistance, Information & Referral line at 310-374-3426, ext. 256, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit us online at bchd.org/resources.