But we need every tool at our disposal to make sure that we are ready to support any Corona virus patients who are diagnosed and prevent any further spread.

Proclaiming a state of emergency, it enhances our preparedness and response capabilities while also providing opportunities to seek assistance from state and federal partners.

We must all remain vigilant.

That means local governments, healthcare facilities, schools, community organizations, businesses and residents must be active in our efforts to be prepared from war cases while doing everything in our tool kit to slow down the spread of this virus.

That is why the board and public health they're making this declaration in response and out of an abundance of caution which will strengthen our efforts to one, enhance our preparedness and response capabilities to seek support and assistance from state and federal partners and to coordinate with other jurisdictions and provide protection to our teams that are responding on the front lines.

Dr.

Farrar is going to speak in a minute about where we stand locally in terms, cases, what public health is doing to protect the well being of our community and several steps that we all can take to protect ourselves. 00:01:52.980 --> 00:02:5.130 Public health has done a great job thus far in educating residents, health care workers, local businesses and community groups about what Corona virus is and how to prevent its spread. 00:02:6.120 --> 00:02:15.070 They have been working with our federal and state partners every single day, and now with this declaration, they will have even more support.

It is now my pleasure to introduce my colleague, supervisor Hilda Seles, who has been dedicated to educating our community about Corona virus and combating the stigma against our Asian friends, neighbors and businesses.

Supervisor studies.

Thank you, Chairwoman Katherine Barker and also to our following elected officials are mayor as well as our staffs and also Supervisor Han, who has joined us. 00:02:45.510 --> 00:03:6.080 It is one of those days that we knew perhaps this was coming, but L A county's prepared and I really do want Thio, give a shout out to our Department of Public Health, our director and her staff as well as our partnership with the city of Los Angeles as well as our partners at the federal level of government. 00:03:6.350 --> 00:03:17.180 This isn't something totally new to us, but I would say to you that we have been working our staff behind the scenes to understand and be prepared for what is to come.

And it's not with a light heart.

It's really more of Ah, a steady and how could I say Ah, forward thinking of how we can better prepare our 10 million residents in the last 48 hours alone.

The L.

A County Department of Public Health has confirmed six new cases of the Noble Corona virus in our community.

To ensure that the county is further prepared.

These two declarations of emergency will allow us to further drawdown.

Resource is from both the federal and state levels of government.

We need every tool at our disposal to make sure we're ready to support any Corona virus patients who are diagnosed and to prevent any further spread my first priority, and I know the prayers of our board has always been to protect the public public health of our residents, and I and I know that the public knows that we're taking this situation very seriously and taking all the necessary steps to protect the health and safety off all of our residents and our county workforce.

I also want to remind people how important it is to empower ourselves with accurate information.

There's been too much misinformation spreading around and as we expected, it's cultivating fears and is leading to racial profiling.

We must also ensure we take preventive measures to help prevent the spread of the virus, including washing our hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoiding close contact with people who are sick and to stay home if you are feeling sick. 00:04:49.670 --> 00:05:7.530 In response to a recent update from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention CDC, I put forward a motion that will be coming up today and our board meeting to ensure that we ramp up our preparedness efforts to prevent a wider spread of Corona virus and tow access to excess. 00:05:7.540 --> 00:05:10.660 Our current medical equipment and resource is in place.

The last thing we want to do is create more fear in our community.

Fear will not drive our responses To save lives, we must combat this virus.

I want to condemn any and all discrimination stemming from the situation.

And we have seen the results of which include our Asian Pacific Islander communities being discriminated against.

Their business is decreasing and sales to the tune of almost 60% and also the fact that many are distressed mentally.

Finally, I want to share our residents in our workforce that were on the front line and that the county of Los Angeles in the city and all of our stakeholders will do everything in our power to protect the public health as well as civil rights of all of our residents.

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Almost a bomb assault charge a gondola, Los Angeles Comeback, Tendo Estate And now it like introduce Dr Farrar, who's gonna talk to you about what we're doing at public health and has been truly on the phone constantly with both our federal and state partners as we move forward to address this issue?

Dr.

Burke, Sure, Barbara Ferrer.

Good morning, everyone, and thank you so much for being with us.

I want to start by thanking the dedicated leaders who have joined us today.

Chairman, Chairwoman Bargor, supervisor solely Supervisor Han. 00:07:53.440 --> 00:08:6.160 Their efforts, along with the efforts of the entire board, have been ensuring all along that the county is responding appropriately to the expanding outbreaks that air caused by novel Corona virus. 00:08:6.510 --> 00:08:19.680 They've been elevating issues from the very beginning related to the inappropriate rise in stigma and discrimination and modeling the need for us to support our Asian friends, neighbors and businesses.

I'm also grateful to have Mayor Garcetti with us today.

He's been setting a path that we can take so that were informed, prepared and thoughtful in our responses to the challenges presented by a new virus.

We're also joined and really honored to have with us Dr Gault, who's the director of the City of Pasadena Health Department, and Dr Davis, who's the health officer for the city of Long Beach, and you will hear from them about their efforts as well, eh?

So that you understand aware cord coordinated across all of the health department's in this wonderful county.

We have an amazing county team, our CEO sake Hama rco fija Davenport, My partner's in the health of the New Alliance for Health Integration, a doctor, Christina Galley at the Department of Health Service's and Dr Sharon at the Department of Mental Health and also Kevin McGowan, who is the director of our Office of Emergency Emergency Management.

I want to acknowledge that this is a team that has been working diligently under the leadership of our amazing board to be well prepared and that today's actions really just allow us to enhance work that has been ongoing.

I also wanna acknowledge and thank all of the media, both that for your accurate reporting and you're thoughtful responses to enquiries, we really appreciate your ability to get information out to the general public as chairwoman, Bargor stated in response to the increasing number of cases in the United States are new six cases here in L A county. 00:10:0.200 --> 00:10:15.430 The increasing likelihood of community transmission occurring both across the United States and at some point here in our county on the need for us to work cooperatively and proactively to slow the spread of cove in 19.

The disease caused by the novel Corona virus are the L.

A County Department of Public Health.

Through the authority of our health officer, Dr Davis is also declaring a local health emergency today.

These actions support our preparedness efforts, including effectively mobilizing needed resource is and partnerships enhancing continuity of operations, planning and seeking and utilizing mutual aid, all in an effort to slow the spread of covert 19 and to address any challenges that may arise with increased cases and community transmission. 00:10:52.580 --> 00:11:0.040 Emergency declarations enhance our ability as well to seek future reimbursement from both the state and federal governments. 00:11:0.320 --> 00:11:24.300 Should funding become available, I want to emphasize, as as both of our supervisors had, that we can't do this work by ourselves, and we continue to mobilize with partners across the health care business, faith based education, government and community sectors to build out our plans to limit, spread and protect those most vulnerable to serious illness.

We need to ensure that the actions were taking to date are amplified, uh, as well is that we continue to make great progress educating our public and bringing people together to promote effective strategies that limit disease transmission, while also acknowledging that we need to be prepared for more cases in the days and weeks ahead, the Department of Public Health will enhance our current activities in the following areas.

We're increasing our capacity for testing at our local public health lab.

Public health is among 10 California health labs that have received CDC test kits, and we have additional kits on the way we are currently testing and have been since last Wednesday.

Locally for Covert 19 we will ensure that people who test positive for the novel Corona virus and they're close contacts are quickly identified and closely monitored and supported while they're in isolation and or quarantined.

We will start tomorrow with daily radio briefings on three different stations by the public health director, and I'll be joined by our health officer.

We are posting new guidelines as we speak for child care facility schools, colleges and universities, employers, hotels, public safety responders, shelters congregate, living facilities on and parents on how they can prepare for and slow the spread of covert 19.

We continue to hold weekly tele briefings with elected officials, city managers and leaders at businesses, organisations, schools, faith based communities and health care facilities.

We are in contact with over 3500 leaders and administrators across the county on a weekly basis.

We're holding an educational webinar for all of our skilled nursing facilities at the end of this week so that they, too, can make sure they're adequately prepared for the possibility of cases within their facilities.

We are sending out technical assistant teams starting today for site visits over the next week, toe every single in term housing facility to assist in the in implementation of environmental practices and modifications that can roost.

Reduce transmission of respiratory illness in our concrete living facilities were communicating and preparing with our first responders, healthcare facility partners and healthcare providers to make sure that we have continued readiness for this dynamic situation, paying a lot of attention to making sure we have adequate personal protection equipment for our wonderful and dedicated and skilled health care workers Protecting our workforce.

Our healthcare workforce is a high priority.

We are updating our pandemic response plan for covert 19 in accordance with CDC guidance and local conditions, and working with the Office of Emergency Management of There, we are opening our E O.

C uh, today to coordinate across the city departments.

I want to give a brief update.

As you know, there are increasing cases of covert 19 across the United States.

Today we're announcing six new cases. 00:14:52.740 --> 00:15:1.920 We've confirmed these cases as of last night with positive lab results from our local lab and we have completed investigations. 00:15:3.210 --> 00:15:10.050 All of our cases, all of our six new cases are linked to an assumed known exposure.

There's either a travel history to an area with an outbreak.

There's exposure to known travelers coming from areas where there's an outbreak or the person is a close contact with a confirmed case I want to repeat.

We have information that allows us to allows us to announce that we know of assumed known exposure source for all six of our new cases that we're announcing today.

This means that as of today, we still don't have known cases of community transmission.

Like other large jurisdictions, we anticipate more local cases.

This is because they're increases in outbreaks all across the world. 00:15:55.860 --> 00:16:5.590 And the fact is that people who are in close contact with folks who are infected with novel Corona virus can themselves become infected. 00:16:6.220 --> 00:16:16.150 We know that we have effective public health interventions that slow the spread of infectious diseases, especially when we're all working together.

So what can we all do?

I want to start with what's most important, stay home if you're sick, sick people make other people sick.

That's the main route of transmission, a sick person coming into contact with somebody who's well.

So if you're sick with anything, including mild illness, we need people to stay home.

We need people to wash their hands with soap and water for a least 20 seconds.

Frequently, Uh, we need people to cover their coughs or their sneezes with tissues, and then throw those tissues into the trash and wash your hands.

We know it's allergy season here in L.

A county, but we still need people to adhere to common sense public health practices. 00:16:59.630 --> 00:17:8.010 And there's still time for people to get immunized against the flu, and we encourage this, as many cases is we have of influenza. 00:17:8.200 --> 00:17:19.370 Reducing that number reduces the burden and the stress on our health care system, which will see more need to respond to the increasing number of cases of covert 19.

We also ask that the public plan for the possibility of more extensive social distancing requirements.

These measures would include having an ample supply of essentials at home, no different than the preparedness activities we ask people to do to be ready for natural disasters.

Earthquakes, fires, floods, mudslides.

We do need folks.

The plan for the possibility of business disruptions, school closures and modifications or cancellations of select public events.

We will be working closely with schools and public event venues and businesses before decisions are made to close. 00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:6.840 But this is a time for people to have a plan of what they would do should their child's school need to close. 00:18:7.210 --> 00:18:14.580 We ask everyone to start practicing Sze sort of what we called simple social distancing practices.

Uh, use verbal salutations in place of handshakes and hugs.

Don't share utensils, cups and linens.

And, whenever possible, try to keep six feet between you and other people that you don't know at large events.

If you're an organization of business, a human service provider, there are additional strategies that we ask you to adopt you.

We need you to make sure that your bathrooms air well stocked and consume port.

Hand washing. 00:18:44.620 --> 00:19:3.510 We need folks to take a look at their sick leave policies so that their flexible, non punitive and consistent with public health guidance implement plans that allow people to stay home if they're mildly ill without the risk of being academically or financially penalized. 00:19:4.220 --> 00:19:14.800 Make sure it's your business and at your organization's location that you're performing regular cleaning and disinfection for for frequently touched surfaces.

Ensure that your continuity of operation plans are up to date so that your essential functions can continue should you see large numbers of people that are sick and unable to get to work.

And we ask that also leave policies be modified so that we don't require a doctor's note for staff returning to work after being sick wherever possible.

This reduces the strain on the health care system for people with mild illness needing to come in to get their doctor's note.

Everyone should be aware of scammers who are spreading false information, particularly those that are trying to sell medications and treatments with promises of a cure and protection. 00:19:59.600 --> 00:20:9.980 There are no specific medication treatments or vaccinations currently available and approved for treating or vaccinating against Cove in 19.

As always, we ask you to check what trusted resource is for accurate, up to date information about novel Corona virus and use our website, public health dot L a county dot gov, for information about increasing numbers of cases or information about steps and guidance for efforts you can take to protect yourself and those that you love.

I want to thank the supervisors and the mayor for their leadership and their support for public health efforts.

I want to thank all of our partners, especially the cities of Long Beach and Pasadena, for all of their support. 00:20:48.450 --> 00:21:1.280 And I want to really closed by thanking the general public for doing what you can to stay informed and protect yourselves and help us slow the spread of respiratory illnesses in our community. 00:21:1.570 --> 00:21:2.660 Thank you very much. 00:21:3.440 --> 00:21:10.260 That and now I'd like to introduce the mayor of the City of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti.

Thank you so much, Madam Chair.