RHE COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update:
Important update for all City email subscribers
May 15, 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.

May 15, 2020 Citywide Update
City Hall Gradual Reopening
Starting Monday, May 18, 2020, Rolling Hills Estates City Hall will begin its phased reopening on a limited basis and in line with the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health guidance. Our top priority is preventing the spread of COVID-19 and ensuring the health and safety of our community and staff.
 
What we are doing to protect the community and staff: 
 
Visitors to City Hall will be seen by appointment only. Appointments can be made by viewing our  staff directory   and coordinating with the relevant staff member accordingly or contacting (310) 377-1577 .
 
Only one individual/household will be permitted to enter City Hall for their pre-scheduled appointment. Those waiting for a scheduled appointment are invited to wait outside of the building and remain at least six feet from other individuals waiting.
 
While appointments for in-person transactions will be available beginning next week, City staff has developed many alternatives to in-person service to the community including electronic or telephonic options to support your need.  
 
In addition to the above modifications, the City has installed glass partitions at our front-facing counter; the front door will remain open during business hours to prevent the touching of the door handle; Staff will always conduct business while wearing a face covering and maintaining at least a six-foot distance from visitors. The same will be required of visitors. 
City Recreation Facilities Update 

Los Angeles County Department Public Health’s revised Safer at Home Order is now permitting Tennis Courts and Equestrian Centers be open with restrictions.  The City is actively working to open City facilities in accordance with these important public health precautions in place.

Specific restrictions and safety guidelines required at these park amenities in accordance with the health officer order include, but are not limited to:

Tennis Courts – EFFECTIVE, MONDAY, MAY 18

  • Advanced Reservations recommended
  • Exact change or checks are requested for payment of fees to be paid utilizing an outdoor facing window.
  • Only singles play will be permitted. No Doubles.
  • Physical distancing of six (6) feet must be maintained at all times.
  • Each participant must bring their own bucket of balls with their initials on each ball. Participants will only be permitted to handle their own tennis balls.
  • Participants will be required to wear face coverings at all times except during play.
  • Bring your own water and hand sanitizer or disinfecting wipes to wash and sanitize hands frequently.
  • Players are requested to play only one-hour to provide access to other players.
  • Private lessons are allowed through the City’s contractor using proper physical distancing techniques. Both the student and instructor will be required to wear face coverings. No lessons involving two (2) or more tennis students are allowed.
  • During this modified opening, during the afternoons Monday-Friday, tennis courts will be available primarily for private lessons through the City’s contract Tennis Pro.

Learn about the new tennis precautions by viewing this video. Please note, w hile this video was prepared by LA County Department of Parks & Recreation, the same rules apply to tennis play in Rolling Hills Estates:  https://youtu.be/9aGT074jfzU
Equestrian Centers/Arenas – EFFECTIVE, SATURDAY MAY 16

  • Physical distancing of six (6) feet is required at all times.
  • Face coverings are required at all times while in the common areas, including parking lots and stables.
  • Face coverings are not required during riding so long as physical distancing is maintained.
  • Facility operator and staff shall wear a face covering and gloves at all times.
  • Rides (Horse string) will be a single file and a maximum of four (4) riders at a time while practicing physical distancing. This is for trail use only.
  • Private horse lessons will require proper physical distancing, and both instructors and students must wear face coverings at all times.
  • Lessons shall be a maximum of two (2) participants at a time and conducted in a round pen. Round pen must be large enough to allow for physical distancing during lessons.
  • Maximum number of riders in a round pen shall be determined by the size of the pen. At all times, round pens must be large enough to allow for physical distancing.
  • Only one (1) horse and one (1) boarder will be allowed within the wash racks at a time.
  • All boarders must use their own wash rack supplies, and hoses will be sanitized regularly.
  • Payment of any fees shall be done on-line and/or utilizing an outdoor facing window or door.

Adherence to guidelines and precautions is critical to safely operate these open facilities and we ask that you continue to do your part during this transition stage with COVID-19.
County of Los Angeles Public Health Revised Safer At Home Order

A new Health Officer Order was released on Wednesday which allows for lower-risk businesses and select recreational facilities and beaches to reopen.

All retailers that are not located in an indoor mall or indoor shopping center are able to reopen for curbside, door-side, outside pickup, or delivery only. The public is not allowed to go inside. Manufacturing and logistic businesses that supply retail businesses may also reopen. Before retail businesses, manufacturing and logistic businesses reopen, they are required to prepare, implement and post their plan for adhering to directives including distancing and infection control practices that protect both employees and customers.

Beaches can reopen for active recreation including running, walking, swimming and surfing. However, group sports and activities like picnicking and sunbathing are not permitted, and parking lots, bike paths, piers, and boardwalks, remain closed. Select recreational facilities including golf courses, tennis courts, shooting and archery ranges, equestrian centers and community gardens can also reopen.

In all aspects, everyone must continue to practice physical distancing of at least six feet apart and wear a clean cloth face covering that securely covers both your nose and mouth when around people outside of your household. This Order continues to require that specific higher-risk businesses remain closed and prohibits public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit.

The Department of Public Health will assess the activities allowed by this Order on an ongoing basis and modify this Order as appropriate. Currently, L.A. County is in stage two of the five-stage Roadmap to Recovery and until the final stage five is reached, Health Officer Orders and directives will continue to ensure that we slow spread of COVID-19 to prevent an overwhelming surge of COVID-19 cases at healthcare facilities.

The Great Peninsula Sidewalk Sale
Join the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce for its first ever Great Peninsula Virtual Sidewalk Sale from today through May 17.

Local businesses have teamed up for a sidewalk sale THIS WEEKEND!

Check it out: https://conta.cc/2AsaDYr
How Safer At Home Has Impacted The Spread of COVID-19 In LA County
Dr. Christina Ghaly, the Director of LA County's Department of Health Services (the agency responsible for COVID-19 testing in LA County), today, shared how LA County's Safer At Home orders have impacted the spread of COVID-19 in LA County:

1. At the beginning of LA County's pandemic, the restrictions of Safer At Home were the single best tool to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19. Without Safer At Home, LA County would have seen a disaster. 
2. Safer At Home bought us time! It allowed LA County to increase testing, bed, and ventilator capacity. It's why LA County is now seeing low and steady transmission rates of the virus. 
3. At the earliest stage of our fight against COVID-19, for every person infected by the virus, an additional 3 people would be infected in LA County. Today, for every person infected, an additional one person will be infected. If we don't maintain a low transmission rate, we'll start seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases within 2-4 weeks.
If we go back to how life was before Safer At Home, LA County will see a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases. 
4. Until we have a vaccine, LA County will need a multi-prong approach to combat the virus. It is possible to get back to work, while keeping LA County residents safe. That means LA County will continue to: 1) use face coverings, 2) physical distance, 3) wash hands & stay home when sick, 4) respect new activity & venue rules, and 5) quarantine when advised by your healthcare provider.

For more information on COVID-19 and LA County's response to this health emergency, visit  covid19.lacounty.gov .
Reminder on Face Coverings
Face coverings are an effective tool and should be kept on hand for easy access and use when out in public if you are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing between persons outside of your regular household. Our best community and individual defense against COVID-19 is to wash our hands frequently, avoid touching our eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, avoid being around sick people and practicing physical distancing, especially by staying at home. Face coverings are not a replacement for these evidence-based strategies for slowing the spread of disease; they are just an additional tool that can protect others from possible exposure to respiratory droplets that may come from our mouth when we talk, sneeze or cough.
Great Plates Delivered Program
WDACS is offering a meal delivery service to assist those in need of home delivered meals and help to get the food, hospitality and transportation community back to work. The program is scheduled to run until June 10, 2020. Individuals may qualify to receive meals if you:

Meet age requirements:

• Are 65 or older; OR
• Are 60-64 and have been diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19 or are at high risk as defined by the CDC

  • Living alone or with one other program-eligible adult
  • Are not currently receiving assistance from other state or federal nutrition assistance programs, like CalFresh/SNAP or Meals on Wheels
  • Are not currently receiving assistance from other Earn less than $74,940 (single) or $101,460 (two-person household)
  • Have difficulty accessing food resources or preparing your own meals
  • Live in unincorporated LA County or a city that does not have its own ‘Great Plates Delivered’ program

For more information on the program, visit: wdacs.lacounty.gov/greatplates/
To apply, call 2-1-1 .
LA County Disaster Help Center
WDACS and DCBA, along with other County partners, have launched a new Disaster Help Center to support business owners and workers adversely affected by the COVID-19 health emergency.

Whether you are a business owner, a worker, a non-profit, a tenant or landlord, the LA County Disaster Help Center is available for immediate assistance. You can also access its free, one-on-one counseling from 8:30am to 5:30pm (Monday through Friday) and 10:00am to 3:00pm.

You can reach the Disaster Help Center by:

#RHEresilient Weekly Activity
This week we are sharing fun pet photos! Staying Safer at home means more time with your pets! Post your photo to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and tag @CityofRHE and  #RHEresilient . Help us fill our page with fun friendly pet photos! 
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.
PVLD Senior Resources

The Palos Verdes Library District has developed many resources for seniors, including getting started with tech, frequently asked reference questions, eBooklists and more! Check it out at pvld.org/seniors
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Update
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 47 new deaths and 962 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Thirty-seven people who died were over the age of 65 years old and five people who died were between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. Thirty-two people had underlying health conditions including 30 people over the age of 65 years old and two people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. Five deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach. 

To date, Public Health has identified 36,259 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 1,755 deaths. Ninety-two percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 1,615 people (99 percent of the cases); 38% of deaths occurred among Latinx residents, 29% among White residents, 18% among Asian residents, 12% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 32 cases and one death reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 5,727 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (16% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. There are 1,733 people who are currently hospitalized, 25% of these people are in the ICU and 18% are on ventilators. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for over 282,000 individuals and 11% of people testing positive.

Pleas e note: As of May 15, 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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