Coronavirus Updates and Resources from Rep. Lieu

Dear neighbor, 

As we continue to battle COVID-19, I urge you to keep up your efforts to reduce the spread of this virus and wash your hands frequently; practice social distancing; and wear a mask in public. By doing so, you are helping to save lives. 

This week, the LA County Department of Public Health updated its Health Officer Order to align with state guidance and limit private gatherings to no more than 3 households. Please remember to follow the public health guidelines in place to keep you and your families safe. LA County remains in Tier 1 of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy – meaning many non-essential indoor businesses are closed. To read the county’s updated health order, please click here. 

On Tuesday, I joined LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla for a telephone town hall on voting. We discussed the numerous ways LA County residents can cast their votes in this election. Ballots are currently being mailed to every registered voter in Los Angeles County. You can return your ballot by mail; drop it off at a ballot drop box or voting center; or vote in person. Some vote centers will be available for early in-person voting on October 24th and all vote centers will be available on October 30th through Election Day on November 3rd. To track your ballot, please click here. For more information on voting in LA County, please visit lavote.net and make a plan to vote.

Your weekly reminder: 

1. Please remember to get your flu shot to stay healthy this season. It is likely that both COVID-19 and the flu will be present at the same time in LA County this year. You can get a flu shot at any local pharmacy. For quick flu facts and frequently asked questions about COVID-19 and the flu, click here. 
   
   
2. 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. If you tested positive for COVID-19 and have not yet heard from a contact tracer, please call 1-833-540-0473. To aid in this effort, LA County and City of Los Angeles leaders announced a partnership with SafePass, a mobile app to help expand local efforts to contract trace and contain the spread of COVID-19. For more information on the app and to download your SafePass, please go to citizen.com/safepass.
   
   
3. 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

Covered California is beginning open enrollment on November 1st, 2020 with a record 1.5 million Californians eligible to renew their health care coverage and an all-time low statewide average rate change of 0.5 percent. As many Californians face uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Covered California will continue to provide stability and lower health care costs for residents. For more information on health care options, please go to coveredca.com.  

From LA County

This week, Los Angeles County and City of Los Angeles officials finalized a $300 million deal to provide 6,700 beds to people experiencing homelessness who are living in and around the area’s freeways. As of October 15th, LA County, in partnership with the state of California and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), has secured 3,296 beds for homeless individuals and served 3,819 clients through Project Roomkey, an initiative to provide safe housing for those experiencing homelessness during this pandemic. 

Additional Resources 

1. Congratulations to the 2020 NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers! If you were celebrating the recent Lakers’ win with a crowd of non-household members, you may have been exposed to COVID-19, especially if people weren’t wearing masks. Please remember to maintain six feet of distance from those outside of your household at all times to prevent disease spread. In addition, please monitor yourself for symptoms and get tested if you believe you may have been exposed.  
   
   
   
   
2. All LA County residents who would like to get tested should first contact their Primary Care Provider to see if they offer COVID-19 tests. If you cannot access a test through your provider, LA County is offering free testing, which is available 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 more information and to sign up for a test near you, go to covid19.lacounty.gov/testing.
   
   
3. For updated data on COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in California and LA County, please go to update.covid19.ca.gov and publichealth.lacounty.gov.
   
   
4. Every Wednesday, LA County holds virtual COVID-19 briefings with health and reopening updates. To join, watch live on Wednesdays at 1 pm on LA County’s Facebook, Twitter or YouTube accounts.
   
   
5. As wildfire season continues in California, it’s important to be prepared in the event of an emergency. Please 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. Air quality is unhealthy in some parts of LA County due to the recent wildfires. Please click here to view the October 14th Air Quality Advisory. If you are spending time in one of the areas listed, please limit outdoor activities and reduce prolonged exertion outdoors. To check the air quality in your area, please visit fire.airnow.gov.
   
   
7. As temperatures rise in LA County, please remember that there are various Emergency Cooling Centers set up across the county to provide those without air conditioning relief from the heat, free of charge. All centers operate with COVID-19 infection control protocols in place. For a full list of Emergency Cooling Centers, please visit ready.lacounty.gov/heat.
   
   
8. Health Services Los Angeles County recently updated its COVID-19 Hospital Demand Modeling Projections. The projections include key findings on the number of new patients requiring hospitalization, the estimated transmission rate and the estimated number of LA County residents currently infected. To view this data, please click here.
   
   
9. LA County launched a new safety compliance certificate program to help businesses as they begin to reopen. The program allows business owners and employees to self-certify that they are fully implementing COVID-19 infection control protocols at their workplace. For directions on how to become certified, please click here.
   
   
   
   
10. 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. 
    
    
11. If you had to close your business due to COVID-19, you may be eligible to receive up to $30,000 through LA County’s Small Business Development Grant. For more information, please visit revitalizationgrant.lacda.org. The deadline to apply has been extended to October 19th.
    
    
    
    
12. In the case of a Flex Alert and to conserve energy at home, please pre-cool your home overnight, avoid the use of major appliances and turn off all unnecessary lights. For more information and to sign up for flex alerts, please go to flexalert.org.
    
    
    
    
13. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please call the 24/7 confidential LA County hotline at 213-978-3600 for information and support, nearby shelters and more. 

Although we continue to encounter challenges, I am proud of our community’s resilience in the face of adversity. Your efforts to wash your hands frequently; engage in social distancing; and wear a mask in public save lives. Please keep up the hard work as we continue to fight the spread of COVID-19. For more information, please visit lieu.house.gov/coronavirus, covid19.lacounty.gov and covid19.ca.gov and follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I look forward to updating you again soon.

Stay safe. 

Sincerely, 

Ted W. Lieu 
Member of Congress