RHE COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update:
Important update for all City email subscribers
April 24, 2020
The City of Rolling Hills Estates is actively monitoring and listening to the health and policy experts at the federal, state and county levels and taking actions to adhere to requirements or implement policies based upon health expert recommendations.  This important email update is being sent to all City email subscribers to ensure the community is notified.

For important information, please   visit the City’s Coronavirus webpage.

April 24, 2020 Citywide Update
Warmer Temperatures Expected Through the Weekend

High temperatures have been forecast for many areas throughout L.A. County this weekend. As the Safer at Home Order remains in effect, the Department of Public Health reminds everyone that precautions should be taken to avoid heat-related illness, especially by older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and people with a chronic medical condition, among others, who are especially sensitive to negative health impacts from extreme heat.
Public Health offers the following recommendations during high temperatures:
  • Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated throughout the day.
  • If you must go out, plan your day to avoid going out during the hottest hours, and wear sunscreen. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothes, and bring a hat or umbrella with you.
  • Cars get very hot. Don't leave children or pets in cars, and call 911 if you see a child or pet in a car alone.
  • Beware of heat-related illness, like heat stroke and call 911 if you see these symptoms: high body temperature, vomiting, and pale and clammy skin.
  • Check on those at risk, like the sick, older adults, pregnant women, and children.
  • Avoid working out wearing face coverings or masks not intended for athletic purposes; this means avoiding contact with others while you work out.
Cooling Off in Your Pool? Always Practice Water Safety
With the weather heating up and beaches temporarily closed due to the Safer At Home Order, residents cooling off in their pools are reminded to always practice water safety.

Additionally, as the weather heats up, here are some important water safety tips from Los Angeles County Fire Department for families who own or access swimming pools:

  • Never take your eyes off a child that is near or in a swimming pool; children can “drown without a sound.”
  • Don’t rely on fences or barriers and inflatable devices for safety in a swimming pool.
  • Even if your child has had swimming lessons, they are still at risk for drowning; nothing substitutes adult supervision.
  • Learn CPR, you never know when you might need this life-saving skill.

For more summer season safety tips, visit here .
Local Volunteer Match - How can you help your community?
Join PVPUSD School Board Member Linda Reid’s local volunteer match effort during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 40 volunteers have been linked with 100 isolated seniors needing help with grocery shopping and other errands.

If you're a parent, student or graduate of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District interested in participating in the volunteer match program, or an older resident needing support, contact Member Reid at reidl@pvpusd.net.
Special Enrollment-Period for Health Care Coverage due to COVID-19
Have you lost your health insurance due to COVID-19? If you've recently lost your coverage or will soon lose it, today's update is for you. Covered California has issued a special-enrollment period for those impacted by income changes, reduced hours or lay off due to COVID-19. 
If the following circumstances apply to you, you may be eligible for health care coverage through Covered CA:
  • You've lost Medi-Cal coverage
  • You've lost your employer-sponsored coverage
  • Your COBRA coverage is exhausted 
  • You are no longer eligible for student health coverage
To learn if you're eligible, visit Covered CA . To apply, you may  apply online  or  call a Covered CA Certified Insurance Agent or Navigator  for free and confidential enrollment help.

Those without access to the Internet can call Covered CA's Service Center at 1-800-300-1506 for assistance with determining eligibility and/or applying for health care coverage.

If you're not eligible for Covered CA health coverage, you may be eligible for health insurance through LA County's My Health LA (MHLA). MHLA is a no-cost health care program for individuals or families who do not have and cannot get health insurance. For assistance over the phone with MHLA, call 1-844-744-6452 from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM (Monday through Friday).
Fire Safety

Over the last couple of weeks, the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) has seen a surge in home fires across the County. As residents continue to follow the Safer At Home Order , L.A. County encourages families to be mindful of fire hazards at home, and to practice fire escape safety steps with family members and loved ones.

If there was a fire in your home, would you know the best way to escape? Help make sure you and your loved ones are truly Safer at Home by learning how to safely escape a home fire. To help you get started, LA County's Fire Department offers a free   F.I.R.E Safety Guide   with all the tips & checklists you'll need for creating a fire escape plan that's right for you, including making sure you have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on each level of their home. 

You can also download the F.I.R.E. Safety Coloring Book   if you're looking for a great children's activity. Make the youngest members of your family a key part of your plan. 

For Palos Verdes Peninsula residents who live in a high-wildfire risk zone, now is a good time to:
  • Clear leaves and other debris from roofs, gutters, and decks.
  • Remove flammable materials like firewood stacks and low hanging trees around your roof to create a defensible space around your home. 
  • Prepare your family’s “Ready, Set, Go!” wildfire action plan. 
  • Look at ways to “Harden your Home,” by protecting vents near eaves and consider installing double-pane windows.
  • Please make sure your address is visible to firefighters. 

Visit the LA County Fire Department's website for more information on how to stay safe. Planning ahead can save lives!
Alert SouthBay PSA Safer at Home

Alert SouthBay cities are appreciative of everyone’s collective efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19. We are deeply humbled by the acts of human kindness our communities have shown towards each other. And while we have flattened the curve, we need to remain vigilant as to not create a second wave of infections. 
 
Thank you SouthBay!
Community Advisory: Please Slow Down
The City would like to remind all of our residents and visitors to  slow down. The speed limit in residential neighborhoods is 25 mph.  

Please keep in mind that under the Safer at Home Order, the closure of schools and many individuals working from home, families, individuals and children are taking this time to walk around their neighborhoods and children may be at play in their front yards. 

Please keep this in mind when driving and show extra precaution.
Childcare for Essential Workers
Discovery World is offering childcare and early education for essential workers. Hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. For more, visit www.discoveryworldschools.com or call (310) 265-6650 for enrollment.
Are you a senior or disabled Rolling Hills Estates resident in need of assistance?

Let us know.... please call City Hall at (310) 377-1577 during regular business hours, Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. We are here to help.
Donate Blood
If you are healthy & have not been exposed to Coronavirus or someone who may have it, PLEASE consider giving blood with the Red Cross. Enhanced safety protocols are in place to ensure the safety of donors & staff in response to the concern.

To schedule an appointment to donate, visit: http://rcblood.org/2TzQeaY

"We understand people may be hesitant to come give blood, but we want to reassure everyone on the precautions our teams are taking to keep you safe."- Red Cross

  • Is it safe to give right now?

Donating is a safe process and health individuals should schedule a blood or platelet donation to help maintain the nation's blood supply.

  • Safety at Blood Drives

Red Cross employees implemented added precautions to ensure blood drives and donation centers are safe for donors and staff, including: Using sterile collection sets, spacing beds and feet apart where possible, having hand sanitizer available, using aseptic scrubs on arms, donor and staff temperature checks before entering drives, wiping down donor-touched areas.

  • What if a donor becomes sick after donating?

Red Cross provides a call back number donors should call if they become sick with any illness days after their donation.
Local Plasma Donation Needed
A Torrance Fire Engineer is in need of a plasma donation to help him fight his COVID-19 illness. Specifically, he needs plasma donated from a fully recovered COVID-19 patient so their antibodies may help boost his ability to fight back.
Please see the below requirements. If you think you or someone you know fits the criteria, please contact Dr. Marc Cohen at  emsdoc911@hotmail.comor use the below url link to contact the American Red Cross:

Time is of the essence. Even if you aren’t a match, you could be for another patient who needs this therapy.

To qualify as a plasma donor, you must:

Have had COVID as confirmed by a positive test.

Already be recovered and have one of the following:

  • your symptoms resolved at least 28 days prior to donation OR
  • your symptoms resolved 14 days prior to donation AND a repeat COVID test is negative

Be one of the following:

  • Male donor
  • Female donor who has never been pregnant
  • Female donor who has been tested since their most recent pregnancy and results interpreted as negative for HLA antibodies.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Update
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 52 new deaths and 1,035 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Forty-three people who died were over the age of 65; seven people who died were between the ages of 41 to 65 years old, and one person who died was between the ages of 18 to 40 years old. Forty-two people had underlying health conditions including 34 people over the age of 65, seven people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old and one person between the ages of 18 to 40 years old. One death was reported by the City of Pasadena.

To date, Public Health has identified 18,517 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 848 deaths. Ninety percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 771 people (97 percent of the cases); 37% of deaths occurred among Latinx residents, 28% among White residents, 18% among Asian residents, 15% among African American residents, 1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 26 cases and one death reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 4,211 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (24% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for over 108,000 individuals and 15% of people testing positive.

A new Health Officer Order is being issued for all licensed congregate healthcare facilities. The order includes measures intended to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in these facilities and to protect vulnerable residents, as well as staff. The measures include, restricting all visitors, suspending all communal dining and activities to ensure physical distancing, screening frequent temperature checks for staff, patients and residents, and testing for all employees and residents. Staff will be required to wear surgical masks at all times and personal protective equipment when appropriate. Residents will also need to wear surgical masks or cloth face coverings when they are outside of their personal room. 

Pleas e note: As of April 24, 2020, the City of Rolling Hills Estates has thirteen (13) confirmed cases.

More Information and Resources Available
COVID-19 Updates
Residents and businesses can continue to monitor the City's dedicated COVID-19 Updates webpage, which has been newly redesigned for ease-of-use and increased resource information at RHE.city/Covid19 .

Here you will find latest updates, information for seniors and businesses, information on utilities, current status of local restaurants, etc.

The City is working diligently to identify additional resources for the community, especially for our high risk seniors.
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