Dr. William Kim has been a physician in the South Bay for 35 years and serves as Chief Medical Advisor for Beach Cities Health District. Here, he provides tips for businesses and individuals dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
With COVID-19 all over the news and social media and cases surging, many residents are anxious to get tested for COVID-19. Not everyone needs to be tested, but we do need to stay informed about the virus and its symptoms. Most important, all of us should still follow the basic steps individuals and businesses can take to protect themselves – and our community – from this virus.
Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Individuals
1. The common sense rules still apply. The best things individuals and community members can do to slow the spread of COVID-19 are:
- Stay home as much as you can
- Leave home only when truly necessary, for essential activities like work, medical appointments and grocery shopping
- Wear a cloth face covering when you’re out in public
- Physical distancing - stay at least six feet apart from people you don’t live with
- Wash your hands thoroughly and often, for at least 20 seconds with soap and water
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There's still time to take the COVID-19 Community Survey!
We are all facing challenges during this unprecedented time in our lives. As we strive to help support our Beach Cities community during COVID-19, your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping address your concerns.
Please take some time to complete the COVID-19 Community Survey in partnership with Alert SouthBay. Your responses are completely anonymous unless you choose to provide your information at the end if you would like to be contacted by your local city representative. This is completely optional.
The survey will remain open until tomorrow, Friday, August 7, at 8 a.m. Thank you for taking the time to provide your comments.
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Wearing is Caring
Wearing your cloth face covering is a simple act to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Not only is it an act of kindness and respect, it's also a requirement under the County's Health Officer Order. The Order requires all persons wear a cloth face covering over both the nose and mouth whenever they leave their place of residence and are or can be in contact with or walking near or past others who are non-household members in both public and private places, whether indoors or outdoors.
There are specific requirements in areas throughout the Beach Cities.
Manhattan Beach: The City of Manhattan Beach requires everyone who is out in public to wear a face covering. Read the Emergency Order No. 13 and No. 14.
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Hear from members of BCHD's Youth Advisory Council on how to wear and how not to wear your cloth face covering.
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Do Your Part for the Greater Good
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reports that younger people account for the majority of COVID-19 cases. Residents aged 18-49 make up nearly 60% of new cases, with residents aged 30-49 driving most of these reported cases. Younger residents are also being hospitalized more than before. People aged 30-49 account for 25% of hospitalized patients.
The Department of Public Health also recently announced that it will adhere to new guidance from the California Department of Public Health, which recommends that counties with case rates at or above 200 cases per 100,000 residents do not extend waivers for the re-opening of classroom instruction for students in grades TK- 6. Because Los Angeles County’s case rate currently is 330 per 100,000, waiver applications will not be considered at this point in time.
If we want our children to go back to school, small businesses to survive and return to attending concerts or festivals, we all must do our part to adhere to the health directives, no matter our age or where we live. We've flattened the curve before, which means we can do it again. Now is not the time for group sports or to gather with others who are not part of your household. Don't put yourself at risk and don't put our community at risk.
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New Set of Three Cs from Dept. of Public Health
Compliance: Businesses must comply with Health Officer Orders and implement the strict infection control practices and distancing guidelines. Residents must continue to wear face coverings, maintain physical distancing, avoid gathering with people they don’t live with, continue washing their hands and cleaning high-touch surfaces.
Containment: Adequate testing and case investigations are critical tools to contain spread. Case interviews and contact tracing of people who are positive or exposed are isolating and quarantining must continue. Businesses and employers must do their part and alert the department to outbreaks at their work sites.
Collaboration: Collaborating across all sectors and government is imperative to ensure clear messages to the public, uninterrupted supply chains for testing supplies and personal protective equipment, and unity in strategies for re-opening with as much safety as possible.
Restaurants and businesses who are committed to taking all the necessary steps to ensure the health of their customers and employees are encouraged to participate in the “Safe in the South Bay” program. The Chambers of Commerce from participating South Bay cities have partnered with Beach Cities Health District to provide health guidance and a self-certification process related to Los Angeles County’s Safer at Work and in the Community Health Officer Order. Learn more here.
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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, August 7 or 28
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
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Virtual Beach Cities Summer Free Fitness Series: Zumba
Grab your computer, break a sweat and de-stress at home!
Monday, August 10, 17 and 24
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
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Virtual Blue Zones Project Social Hour
Enjoy good company and practice a few Power 9 Principles of Longevity, including Down Shift and Right Tribe.
Tuesday, August 11
4 - 5 p.m.
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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 cooking show will highlight recipes using peaches in honor of National Peach Month!
Thursday, August 27
4 - 5 p.m.
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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.
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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.
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Summer Wellness Challenge: Compassion
Did you know that self-compassion and kindness is associated with feelings of joy, gratitude, love and hope? During this time, we must show others and ourselves compassion. Compassion is a feeling and an act; it is defined as the desire to assist someone who is struggling. You can spread compassion to others by connecting with an older adult in your community and completing a life review or by sending a positive note to someone you care about.
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#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.
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Healthy Living Campus
BCHD's CAMPUS - UPCOMING FLAGLER LOT ACTIVITY
Converse Consultants, the geotechnical consultant for Beach Cities Health District, will conduct exploratory excavation work in the vacant lot at the southwest corner of Beryl Street and Flagler Lane on Friday, August 7, starting at 7 a.m. This work is part of the Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment research for BCHD’s proposed Healthy Living Campus project. This work is expected to take less than a day to complete and should not impact traffic for neighbors.
Also, beginning August 17, The Gas Company will use the Flagler Lane lot to store equipment for a project unrelated to Beach Cities Health District. The Gas Company plans to use the Flagler lot through January 2021.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT PROCESS
At the June 17, 2020 BCHD Board of Directors meeting, the refined 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 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.
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COVID-19 Testing at BCHD Campus 514 N. Prospect
As cases continue to rise in Los Angeles County, many residents believe they need to get tested for COVID-19. However, Los Angeles County health officials stress that not everyone needs to be tested.
A COVID-19 test does not protect you from the virus, and a negative result should not be seen as a reason to engage in risky social behavior. Even when you test negative today, you could still test positive tomorrow.
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 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)
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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. Unless you have specific symptoms, live in a high-risk setting or have had close contact with someone who has a confirmed positive case of COVID-19, you may not need to be tested, and your health care provider can talk with you about your concerns.
If you don’t have a doctor, call 211 to get a referral. Essential workers should also consider their risk exposure history in consultation with their provider, their occupational health advisor and public health department.
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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.
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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.
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We Can All Be Health Leaders
In addition to physical distancing and wearing cloth face coverings when we are around others, we all still need to take the same precautions that we were taking earlier on in the pandemic - wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands and self-isolate if you are sick. These actions combined are the best defense against COVID-19.
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Need help?
If you or someone you know in the Beach Cities needs help with health-related information and referrals, Covered California or errand assistance and meal delivery, please call our Assistance, Information & Referral line at 310-374-3426, ext. 256, seven days a week, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit us online at bchd.org/resources.
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As of 8/5/2020
Note: Due to technology issues with the electronic laboratory system at the state-level, COVID-19 cases have been under reported for Los Angeles County. Once the data reporting issues are fixed, the number of cases is expected to increase. Data sources that track other key indicators, including hospitalizations and deaths, are not affected by this reporting issue.
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For more information about COVID-19, visit:
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