Coronavirus Updates and Resources from Rep. Lieu

Dear neighbor, 

This weekend is Labor Day, when we honor those who have fought tirelessly on behalf of our nation’s workers. Although this holiday is typically spent with friends and family, we must continue to protect our community from COVID-19. I urge you to stay home and avoid all gatherings with those outside of your household. California and LA County saw rapid increases in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations following Memorial Day Weekend and the Fourth of July. It is crucial that we all remember to wash our hands; practice social distancing; and wear a mask in public this weekend to prevent another spike.

For more tips for a safe Labor Day Weekend, please click here.

September is National Preparedness Month. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has a website dedicated to helping you prepare for wildfires, earthquakes, droughts and other emergencies. New videos will be posted every day throughout the month of September. Please view this website for tips on how to prepare your family and home in case a disaster strikes.   

Our nation is facing a severe shortage of poll workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Poll workers play a vital role in keeping things running smoothly on Election Day and ensuring everyone’s vote is counted. If you are able, I encourage you to sign up to be a poll worker this November. Many jurisdictions provide a stipend to poll workers for their time.  

To sign up to be a poll worker in your community, visit PowerthePolls.org.

Your weekly reminder: 

1. Please remember to fill out the Census if you have not yet done so, and remind your friends, before the September 30th deadline. The Census results will help determine the amount of funding our local schools, hospitals and first responders receive from the federal government for the next ten years. The information will be kept safe and is confidential to the Census. California’s 33rd District currently has a self-response rate of around 60.9%. Please help us get to 100% by completing your Census today online, by phone or by mail. 
   
2. Every registered voter in California will receive a mail-in ballot in time for the November election. All voters in LA County have been mailed a Vote by Mail Address Confirmation Card. Please check your mail and ensure the address on the card is correct. If you’ve recently moved, you can easily update your address by filling out the card and dropping it in the mail. For more information on vote-by-mail in LA County, go to lavote.net.
   
   
3. If you tested positive for COVID-19, you should expect a call or text from a county public health specialist as part of an effort to contact trace and contain the spread of the virus. They are not law enforcement officers and will not ask about immigration status. Please be aware that scammers are posing as contact tracers in LA County in an attempt to steal personal information. Contact tracers will never ask for your financial information, so if you receive a call from someone asking for your social security number or bank account number, hang up immediately. If you tested positive for COVID-19 and have not yet heard from a contact tracer, please call 1-833-540-0473.
   
   
4. Have you witnessed fraud, waste, or abuse of coronavirus pandemic relief funds? Congress has approved over $3 trillion in federal spending to combat the pandemic and I am committed to ensuring your tax dollars are being spent properly. I encourage you to visit coronavirus.house.gov/contact/tip-line or call 202-225-4400 today to report waste, fraud, or abuse of COVID-19 funds. 

COVID-19 Updates

From the State

This week, Governor Newsom signed legislation to protect tenants from eviction and property owners from foreclosures due to the impacts of COVID-19. Under the new law, no tenant who declares an inability to pay rent due to COVID-19-related hardship accrued between March 4 and August 31, 2020 can be evicted from their home before February 1, 2021. For more information on the new legislation, click here.

Governor Newsom also signed an executive order extending protections against price gouging through March 4, 2021. The order protects consumers against price increases for food items, medical supplies, and other consumer products by more than 10 percent. If you believe you’ve been a victim of price gouging in LA County, please save your receipts and file an online complaint here, or call (800) 593-8222.

From LA County

LA County is modifying hours of operation at some COVID-19 testing sites this weekend due to the extreme heat and the Labor Day holiday. If you need a test, please make an appointment early at an open testing site. To see changes in testing site hours, please click here. 

Starting September 14, K-12th grade schools in LA County can resume in-person classes for small cohorts of students with individualized education programs (IEP), English Learners (EL), or students needing assessments or in-school services. These groups are limited to no more than 12 students and two supervisors.

Hair salons and barbershops in LA County can now resume indoor services at 25% capacity. If possible, these businesses are still encouraged to continue outdoor operations.

Additional Resources 

1. Free COVID-19 testing is available in LA County for those experiencing symptoms; those working or living in a high-risk facility; those who were in close contact with someone with COVID-19; and/or essential workers with frequent contact with the public. For Labor Day COVID-19 testing availability, click here. If you do not meet the criteria but would like to get tested, please contact your primary care provider. Some testing sites may offer free testing if you do not meet the criteria. For more information and to sign up for a test near you, go to covid19.lacounty.gov/testing.
   
   
2. For updated data on COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in California and LA County, go to update.covid19.ca.gov and publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/data/index.htm. 
   
   
3. Last week, Governor Newsom announced a new statewide tiered system for when businesses can reopen in counties. For more information on the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, go to covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy.
   
   
4. Parts of LA County are experiencing a rise in temperatures up to triple digits this week. If you or someone you know lacks air conditioning, please go to ready.lacounty.gov/heat or dial 2-1-1 to find an emergency cooling center near you. All centers are free of charge and have physical distancing and infection control protocols in place. 
   
   
   
   
5. To stay prepared this wildfire season, sign up for county alerts, create an evacuation plan, and be ready to go if you receive an evacuation order. For more, please visit readyforwildfire.org and listoscalifornia.org.
   
   
6. If you’re looking for a job in LA County, the LA County Library offers job search resources. To see who’s hiring and be connected to the City of Los Angeles job portal, go to lacountylibrary.org/job-resources.
   
   
7. The California Earned Income Tax Credit (Cal EITC) can help you cover back-to-school or work from home costs. If eligible, you can get up to $2,982 in cashback refunds by filing a tax return. To see if you qualify, go to freetaxprepla.com.
   
   
8. If you need a laptop, you can check out a free kit with a Chromebook and a wireless hotspot at select LA County Library locations. To learn more, click here.
   
   
9. California recently partnered with Yelp to ensure consumers are kept informed about measures businesses and restaurants are taking to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within their establishments. To learn more about the partnership, click here.
   
   
   
10. For guidance and resources for landlords, tenants and homeowners, go to landlordtenant.dre.ca.gov.
    
    
11. If you’ve recently tested positive for COVID-19, you may be eligible to participate in a research study. The Westside Medical Associates of Los Angeles, in partnership with the Montreal Heart Institute, is investigating whether a medicine called colchicine is effective as a short-term treatment for COVID-19. To be eligible for the study, you must be diagnosed with definite or probable COVID-19 in the last 36 hours, not hospitalized and 40 years of age or older. You do not need to leave your home to participate. If you meet the criteria and are interested in participating, please call the study hotline at 1-877-536-6837. If you are a patient of Westside Medical Associates of Los Angeles, please call 310-289-5221. For more information, please visit colcorona.net.
    
    
12. Round 4 of the LA Regional COVID Fund is now open! Eligible micro-entrepreneurs, small businesses and non-profits in LA County can apply for grants now at lacovidfund.org/grants.
    
    
13. All workplaces are required to have safety measures in place to protect employees and customers from COVID-19. To report violations, please call 1-888-700-9995.
    
    
14. Beaches in LA County plan to remain open this weekend but will close abruptly if social distancing protocols are not followed. While on the beach, please remember to keep 6 feet of distance from others outside of your household and wear a mask when out of the water and around others. Group sports are prohibited. For more tips on how to safely enjoy the beach, please click here.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit my coronavirus webpage and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. For updates from California and LA County, go to covid19.ca.gov, and covid19.lacounty.gov. We must keep working together to prevent the spread of this virus. Please remember to stay safe this holiday weekend and wash your hands frequently; wear a mask in public; and practice social distancing. I look forward to updating you again soon.

Sincerely, 

Ted W. Lieu 
Member of Congress