Update
#39
COVID-19 Emergency
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County Still Reports 6 Confirmed Cases in Big Bear Valley
Big Bear Test Results Back - Only 1 Positive Test Out of 229 Total Tests
County Now Tracking Hospital Census, Ventilators In Use, and More on Updated COVID-19 Dashboard
Lodging Facilities and Vacation Rentals Advised to Continue to Block Out Dates Through May 8
City Adjustments to Restrictions Dependent Upon Action by Governor Newsom and County Public Health Officials
Forms Available for Penalty and Interest Waiver for
TOT and TBID Payments
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THIS IS THE OFFICIAL GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY OF BIG BEAR LAKE
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The City of Big Bear Lake is working hard to ensure that the residents, second home owners, investors, businesses, and visitors in our community have the correct information about the status of COVID-19 threats in Big Bear Lake and the City's response to these threats.
This email newsletter is the official guidance from the City of Big Bear Lake, and the City appreciates everyone's adherence to the restrictions and recommendations outlined herein.
This email newsletter also serves as the City's official press release regarding the City's COVID-19 response, and press inquiries may be directed to Frank A. Rush, Jr., City Manager, at 909-866-5832 or via
email.
To be sure you are receiving the latest and most accurate information, please sign up for this email newsletter by clicking
here
. PLEASE share this email newsletter with anyone and everyone, as we want to reach as many people as possible with this information. Thank you!
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COUNTY STILL REPORTS 6 CONFIRMED CASES IN BIG BEAR VALLEY
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According to the County's most recent data update at 12 noon today, there are still a total of
6 confirmed cases in Big Bear Valley, with
4 confirmed in the City of Big Bear Lake and
2 in unincorporated areas outside the City limits.
As of noon today, the County reports a total of
1,578 confirmed cases in San Bernardino County. As of yesterday, the County reported that a total of
13,928 tests have been administered thus far in the County. Although the percentage varies slightly each day, approximately 10% of those tested in San Bernardino County are consistently testing positive. Sadly,
5 more people passed away from COVID-19 in our county over the past day, and a total of
72 people have now died from COVID-19 in San Bernardino County. The County is now reporting the number of COVID-19 deaths by location of residence, and, thankfullly, there are
0 deaths reported for the Big Bear Valley.
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BIG BEAR TEST RESULTS BACK - ONLY 1 POSITIVE TEST OUT OF 229 TOTAL TESTS
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The County released the results from the Big Bear Lake testing event held on April 16 earlier today, and
there is only 1 positive test. The County ultimately processed specimens from 229 individuals, and these results represent good news overall for the Big Bear Valley. Overall,
we remain fortunate to enjoy a relatively low incidence of COVID-19 in our community, thanks to the diligent efforts of our residents and businesses over the past several weeks.
Please keep it up!
This 1 additional positive test is not reflected in the County totals presented above because the results were released late in the day. The City does not know the location of this individual's residence. If this individual lives in the Big Bear Valley, we can expect to see the total number of confirmed cases for our area increase from 6 to 7 tomorrow.
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COUNTY NOW TRACKING HOSPITAL CENSUS, VENTILATORS IN USE, AND MORE ON UPDATED COVID-19 DASHBOARD
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The County is now including additional data on its
COVID-19 dashboard, including helpful demographic information, the residence location of COVID-19 deaths, a listing of known concentrated outbreaks at institutions in the County, the number of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in County hospitals and in the ICU, and the number of ventilators currently in use and available.
Although the number of cases and deaths in our county continues to increase, overall, other data reported suggests that COVID-19 remains relatively manageable in San Bernardino County, which is good news for our community. As of Monday,
there are a total of 352 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients hospitalized in San Bernardino County, well below the nearly 6,000 total hospital beds in our county and well below the 1,085 surge capacity beds that could be added in San Bernardino County if all available space in County hospitals was used for patient care. Since April 1, the number of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients hospitalized in our county each day has fluctuated between 250 and 450, with most days in the 300+/- range.
As of Monday, there were a total of
88 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in intensive care in San Bernardino County, along with 217 patients in ICU for other reasons. There were still a total of 150 available ICU beds as of Monday.
The data also indicates a total of 836 ventilators on site in County hospitals, with a total of 307 in use as of Monday. The number of ventilators in use has averaged around 300 per day since April 1.
Here in the Big Bear Valley, hospital officials and EMS officials continue to report lower patient and call volumes than typical for this time of year, which remains a good sign for our community.
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LODGING FACILITIES AND VACATION RENTALS ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO BLOCK OUT DATES THROUGH MAY 8
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In accordance with Governor Newsom's and San Bernardino County public health orders, the City previously advised lodging facilities and vacation rentals that they could not operate and to block out all dates through at least April 30. With that deadline now a little more than a week away, and no expected adjustments to the Governor's or County orders in the short-term, the
City is now advising lodging facilities and vacation rentals to continue to block out all dates and not welcome any guests through at least May 8. This date may be extended further depending on continually evolving circumstances, and lodging facilities and vacation rental managers / owners should advise scheduled guests accordingly.
The City continues to monitor the COVID-19 issue in Big Bear Lake and San Bernardino County, and continues to monitor any adjustments in the Governor's or County orders. Any termination or adjustment of the Governor's or County orders regarding lodging facilities and vacation rentals, or any additional extension of the May 8 date will be included in future City COVID-19 updates as new information becomes available.
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CITY ADJUSTMENTS TO RESTRICTIONS DEPENDENT UPON ACTION BY GOVERNOR NEWSOM AND COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS
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City officials continue to consider and plan for potential adjustments to the COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place for the past several weeks.
It is important to note that
the City's eventual adjustments can not occur until Governor Newsom takes action to loosen restrictions, followed by corresponding action by San Bernardino County public health officials. Governor Newsom has been reluctant to make any adjustments at this time, and the City is hopeful that he will eventually determine that certain areas of California (like Big Bear Lake) have been less impacted and are more geographically isolated from the hardest-hit areas.
The City remains hopeful that Governor Newsom and San Bernardino County public health officials will soon provide greater flexibility for City officials to make appropriate, responsible decisions for our community. While the impacts of COVID-19 are significant throughout California, the incidence of COVID-19 varies greatly in different areas of the state, and different strategies may be just as effective for different areas.
If the City is ultimately granted more flexibility to adjust the restrictions, the City will thoughtfully consider many different factors:
- actual adjustments to Governor Newsom's executive orders and recommendations,
- actual adjustments to San Bernardino County public health orders and recommendations,
- the incidence of COVID-19 in the City and in the Big Bear Valley,
- the incidence of COVID-19 in other communities in Southern California,
- the genuine fears of, and threats to, our most vulnerable residents,
- the somewhat separated geography of Big Bear Lake from other communities in Southern California,
- the capabilities of our local medical providers and first responders,
- the availability of food and other supplies in our local grocery stores,
- the ability to maintain effective social distancing in certain business sectors and certain types of activities,
- the need for local businesses to resume operations, in a safe manner, in order to survive this crisis,
- the need to preserve the economic vitality of our community,
- the need for our residents (your neighbors) to get back to work to support their families, make their mortgage or rent payments, and more, and
- the City's ability to effectively enforce various restrictions.
It is likely that any adjustments will be gradual and incremental, with a
continued priority on public health and safety. The City will be seeking to make adjustments that
continue to protect the public, but also allow for increased economic activity and personal freedom. The Big Bear Lake community has acted responsibly in recent weeks, and has been diligent in adhering to the restrictions and recommendations. If and when adjustments are made,
it will be critical for the community to be even more diligent to ensure that we continue to move forward in the coming weeks and months without an escalation of the COVID-19 threat.
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FORMS AVAILABLE FOR PENALTY AND INTEREST WAIVER FOR TOT AND TBID PAYMENTS
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In an effort to assist our
valued lodging and vacation rental industry that is severely strained during the COVID-19 emergency,
City Council has approved a 61-day waiver of penalties and interest for the remittance of transient occupancy tax (TOT) and tourism business improvement district (TBID) payments due on April 30. This action has the practical effect of preserving cash-flow for strained businesses until lodging and vacation rental operations resume in the coming weeks.
TOT and TBID payments are still due on April 30, and those businesses and vacation rental owners that are willing and able to remit these funds by April 30 should do so in the typical manner.
For those experiencing temporary financial difficulty, a penalty and interest waiver may be secured through June 30, 2020 by a) filing the required remittance form by April 30, and b) executing a simple lien agreement (that will not be recorded if payment is ultimately made to the City). The penalty and interest waiver effectively delays the required payment to the City
until June 30, 2020 for these businesses and vacation rentals.
The required forms and instructions are now available, and can be downloaded
here. Please note that the required lien agreement must be notarized, and City notaries are available to assist if helpful to you - please simply call 909-866-5831 to make an appointment to come into the office. If you are not located in Big Bear Lake, and need to file remotely, the forms can be emailed to
the City prior to the April 30 deadline and you will still qualify for the waiver (but hard copy forms must be mailed to the City after the April 30 email deadline).
The City is very pleased to provide this assistance to our valued lodging facilities and vacation rentals. Please contact City staff at 909-866-5831 if you need help completing the required forms, and we'll be happy to help!
It should be noted that other retail and food service businesses in Big Bear Lake are already eligible for delayed remittance of sales tax, and this action extends similar assistance to the lodging and vacation rental industry that only pay TOT and TBID assessments.
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VISIT BIG BEAR RELEASES NEW VIDEO ENCOURAGING OUR VALUED VISITORS TO RETURN WHEN IT'S SAFE FOR OUR COMMUNITY
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Visit Big Bear (and the entire lodging and vacation rental industry) is a critical partner for the City, and has worked closely with the City in recent weeks to help keep our community safe. The City greatly appreciates their cooperation, and will continue to work closely with them as we prepare to gradually welcome visitors back - at the appropriate time,
when it's safe to do so.
Visit Big Bear recently released
an excellent new video to communicate this message to our valued visitors, and you can view the video
here. You will likely recognize the narrator - our very own Mayor Herrick!
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COUNTY'S NEIGHBOR2NEIGHBOR PROGRAM SEEKING VOLUNTEERS AND TEMPORARY STAFF
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San Bernardino County has launched the Neighbor2Neighbor Program to identify both
medical and non-medical volunteers and temporary staff who want to help those who urgently need healthcare and support in our county
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The goal of the Neighbor2Neighbor program is to relieve pressure on the local health care system. Volunteers and temporary staff will have o
pportunities to work in tandem with a variety of essential workers who are providing support and outreach, and may also assist the newly established Alternative Care Sites (ACS) in our county that provide medical services for those who may have been impacted by COVID-19.
There are opportunities to serve in numerous capacities, including nurses, paramedics, therapists, pharmacists, office workers, food delivery, security, and many more.
If you have time available and are looking for ways to help, please consider serving as a volunteer with the Neighbor2Neighbor Program. To learn more or sign up, please click
here.
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BIG BEAR CONNECTED ASKS YOU TO MAKE "JOYFUL NOISE"
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SUMMARY OF CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS
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The City of Big Bear Lake has implemented various public health recommendations and restrictions for the past several weeks, and continues to do so.
The City encourages everyone to heed the following recommendations:
- diligently honor the Governor's order to "shelter in place",
- limit your interactions with others to the maximum extent practical,
- plan your essential trips out accordingly, and limit the number of trips to the grocery store, drug store, etc.,
- keep at least 6 feet of distance between you and others you come into contact with,
- wash your hands ALL THE TIME,
- if you need to get outside, take a walk, go for a run, take a bike ride, or go on a hike by yourself or with your family - but stay far way from others!
The following key restrictions remain in effect in Big Bear Lake:
- everyone in Big Bear Lake is directed to "shelter in place", especially those age 65 and older and those who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, however, travel is permitted for work and to conduct personal business,
- face coverings must be worn when you are interacting with others out in the community,
- grocery stores, drug stores, and other essential retail and service businesses may operate,
- construction and repair activities may continue,
- bars, nightclubs, movie theaters, gyms, bowling alleys, ski areas, snow play areas, and other similar businesses may not operate,
- restaurants are closed for in-restaurant seated dining, however, take-out and delivery services are permitted,
- lodging and vacation rentals may not operate, except for very limited situations,
- non-essential group gatherings of any size are prohibited, including commercial establishments, churches, community groups, and other formal and informal group activities,
- snow play is not permitted, except on your own property,
- isolated, outdoor exercise is permitted, including walking your dog, and
- City parks (for pedestrian access, no parking available) and the Alpine Pedal Path remain open, however, these facilities should be enjoyed by yourself, with your small family group, and users should avoid close contact with others.
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COVID-19 INFORMATION HOTLINE
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The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health operates a COVID-19 Hotline for residents with questions about COVID-19. Please call (909) 387-3911 for assistance.
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Stay Informed!
Sign up for City of BBL Updates,
Visit Our Other Digital Platforms
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The City of Big Bear Lake strives to keep our residents, property owners, investors, businesses, and visitors well-informed about the City's issues and initiatives - including the COVID-19 threat - with an emphasis on information specific to Big Bear Lake and the entire Big Bear Valley.
The easiest way to stay-informed is to sign up for the City's email newsletter and other updates. It's easy to sign up - simply visit
the City's website
and click on "Text & Email Notifications" in the top center of the homepage. Simply click on the link, enter your name and email address, and you're all set. Signing up will ensure that you receive periodic updates about COVID-19 in Big Bear Lake, the City's new monthly newsletter - Elevation 6752', and other special communications from the City of Big Bear Lake for emergency situations, special events, and more.
In addition to the City's email updates, you can also get the latest information from the City of Big Bear Lake via the following digital platforms:
- Visit our website by clicking here
- "Like" us on Facebook - City of Big Bear Lake
- Follow us on Twitter - @CityofBBL
- Follow us on Instagram - @citybigbearlake
- Sign up for text message alerts by clicking here .
Please help us spread the word, and share the City's digital communications platforms with your family, friends, other residents, property owners, frequent visitors, or anyone else who is interested in Big Bear Lake. Thank you!
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Frank A. Rush, Jr., City Manager
City of Big Bear Lake
39707 Big Bear Blvd. PO Box 10000, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
Phone: (909) 866-5831 | Fax: (909) 866-5491
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