latimes--2020-03-21--California's stay-at-home order to fight coronavirus doesn't replace stricter local rules

After a day of confusion about the reach of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s historic executive order telling residents to remain at home to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus , the state announced that more stringent sets of mandatory restrictions implemented by some California counties and cities will remain in place .
“ This is a statewide order .
Depending on the conditions in their area , local officials may enforce stricter public health orders .
But they may not loosen the state ’ s order , ” state health officials said in a statement released late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order will remain in effect until “ further notice ” and could be changed as conditions warrant , the statement said .
Issued under broad powers granted to the governor in the state ’ s Emergency Services Act , Newsom ’ s executive order is enforceable by law .
Anyone who violates the order could be charged with a misdemeanor , but Newsom said he did not believe that would be necessary .
The Newsom administration also released a 14-page report explaining which businesses and workers are considered essential and exempt from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more detail about personal activities that are allowed and prohibited .
Businesses deemed essential and remaining open include gas stations , pharmacies , grocery stores , farmers ’ markets , food banks , convenience stores , take-out and delivery restaurants , banks and laundromats .
Those that must close include dine-in-only restaurants , movie theaters and entertainment venues , gyms and fitness studios and hair and nail salons .
Walking the dog and going on hikes are allowed , but camping at state parks is not .
Going to the doctor and pharmacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital or nursing home is not — with some exceptions , such as when a relative is near death .
Californians “ should at all times practice social distancing , ” keeping at least six feet away from others when performing necessary activities , the order states .
“ You can still take your kids outside , practicing common sense and social distancing .
You can still walk your dog , ” Newsom said on Thursday .
Daycare centers and the small number of schools still operating in the state , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers and students with special needs , also are considered essential services and can remain open , said Brian Ferguson , spokesman for the governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services .
Before the governor ’ s order was put in place late Thursday , Newsom had only issued recommendations over the last week asking all residents to practice social distancing , those 65 and older to remain at home , and bars , restaurant dining rooms and other types of businesses to shutter — demonstrating a deliberately light touch that some described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new way of life in preparation for more severe restrictions .
At the same time , dozens of counties inundated with COVID-19 cases went a step further and adopted mandatory requirements to slow the spread of the virus within their jurisdictions .
By midday Friday , counties were eagerly awaiting new guidance from the governor ’ s office to help them understand how to implement his new restrictions and whether their own orders would remain in place .
“ There ’ s certainly questions , ” said Paul A. Smith , vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Representatives of California .
“ What ’ s the role of front-line law enforcement ?
What ’ s the role of Alcoholic Beverage Control if we ’ re dealing with bars and taverns ?
How does the partnership between state and local government work ?
” Smith said the lack of clarity wasn ’ t surprising in the middle of a crisis that neither the governor nor county leaders have contended with before .
“ We have to understand that this is incredibly unprecedented , ” Smith said .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t just cross every ‘ T ’ and dot every “ I ’ as we ’ re responding to a pandemic .
We ’ re flying the plane as we build it , but at the same time , I think we ’ re going to get there.
” In Orange County , confusion over the regulations has been so widespread — with some residents questioning whether they ’ re permitted to even go outside — that the county has staffed a hotline to respond to residents ’ queries .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency first issued an order prohibiting public and private gatherings of any size , including at places of business , outside a single household .
Some residents interpreted it to mean that Orange County was implementing a lockdown similar to strict stay-at-home orders issued by several San Francisco Bay Area counties .
County officials clarified the order that night , noting that it was not a lockdown and some businesses should remain open .
They followed up by issuing an amended order a day later that walked back the ban on gatherings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Newsom ordered all Californians to stay at home , marking the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the state .
In enforcing the governor ’ s order , Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department officials have encouraged deputies to take an educational approach — reminding people of the restrictions — before issuing citations , said Carrie Braun , a spokeswoman for the Sheriff ’ s Department .
“ We ’ re seeing all of this unfold in real time , but that ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community , ” she said .
Meanwhile , in Modoc County in the northeast corner of California , one of the most sparsely populated areas of the state , Sheriff Tex Dowdy said he was shocked by Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order and appeared defiant , saying it was unnecessary in a county without a single confirmed coronavirus case .
“ We are standing behind our current recommendations of social distancing and simple measures like washing your hands to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , ” Dowdy said in a statement posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Barbara Ferrer , director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said the county ’ s directive and Newsom ’ s order are “ generally in agreement ” on which businesses and activities are considered essential .
“ Where there are nuances , we ’ re working with the governor ’ s office for clarification and we hope to be able to rapidly reconcile any elements that are unclear , ” Ferrer said Friday .
“ This may include minor revisions in the county health officer ’ s order in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on jobs deemed essential should bring some relief to business owners across the state , some of whom were unsure whether they were exempt from closure under the governor ’ s order .
The California Chamber of Commerce on Saturday praised Newsom for clarifying what the state considers essential businesses , while also asking but the organization advocated for a uniform , statewide policy on restrictions to replace the patchwork of stricter measures in some counties .
“ We urge all local officials to follow the lead of the Newsom Administration by conforming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large number of California businesses operate in many different counties or span the entire state so the need for consistency in supply chain operations is critical , ” the chamber said it a statement .
Newsom also announced Saturday that the state was leasing two hospitals , one in Southern California and one in Northern California , to help with the state ’ s response to the coronavirus outbreak .
“ California is mobilizing every part of government to support our healthcare delivery system , its workers , and those among us who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said in a statement .
The state is paying $ 30 million to lease the St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles and the Seton Medical Center in Daly City for three months .
St. Vincent , a 366-bed hospital in the Westlake neighborhood , closed earlier this year because of financial woes .
Both facilites will treat patients infected with the coronavirus , according to the governor ’ s announcement .
Verity Health System of California owns the hospitals and will run both on behalf of the state .
Seton will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients beginning as soon as Wednesday and St. will be operational as soon as possible .
Newsom also announced that the state would spend $ 8.6 million to purchase new ventilators needed to help seriously ill patients breathe and intravenous pumps , and to refurbish additional ventilators .
California is spending $ 1.4 million to expand the capacity of the state ’ s public health lab in the Bay Area , which has been processing coronavirus tests .
Times staff writers John Myers and Matt Stiles contributed to this report .

Los Angeles freeways have seen far less traffic than normal as people stay at home.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday urged Californians to abide by his statewide order to stay at home and, if they choose to venture outside for necessities or recreation, to keep a safe distance from others to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Newsom also said his administration is working to clear up confusion over whether his historic executive order issued Thursday conflicted with more stringent mandatory restrictions by some California counties and cities. Negotiations with local governments are underway to sort through the “deeply complex” issues involved, he said.
Newsom’s plea for residents to avoid unnecessary social contact comes after scattered reports across the state that some people have been flocking to the coast, gathering with friends or failing to keep proper social distance from others.
The governor stressed that even those who don’t show any symptoms of COVID-19, including young adults who appear to be less likely to become gravely ill if they do contract it, need to cooperate for the good of others in their communities.
“Be a good neighbor. Be a good citizen. Those young people that are still out there on the beaches thinking this is a party time — grow up,” Newsom said during a news conference on Facebook and Twitter on Saturday afternoon. “It’s time to wake up, time to recognize it’s not just about the old folks. It’s about your impact on their lives. Don’t be selfish, recognize you have a responsibility to meet this moment.”
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During the coronavirus epidemic people continue to leave their homes and spend time at beaches. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Complaints of noncompliance have popped up on social media and apps such as the neighborhood forum Nextdoor.com. The Marin County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday tweeted out a photo of people congregating on the coast, imploring residents to stay home.
“We understand the communities frustrations with the LARGE amount of people traveling to the Coast today and NOT practicing social distancing. We are working with the Public Health Officers to address the issue. Please stay at home!” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The governor’s stay-at-home order will remain in effect until “further notice” and could be changed as conditions warrant, according to a statement released by the governor’s office. Issued under broad powers granted to the governor under the state’s Emergency Services Act, Newsom’s executive order is enforceable by law.
Anyone who violates the order could be charged with a misdemeanor, but Newsom said he did not believe that would be necessary because social pressures to adhere to the directive have been largely successful.
The Newsom administration Friday night released a 14-page report explaining which businesses and workers are considered essential and exempt from the stay-at-home order, as well as more detail about personal activities that are allowed or prohibited.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom provides guidelines for essential workers The administration of California Gov. Gavin Newsom has released additional details on the executive order to have Californians to stay at home.
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Businesses deemed essential and remaining open include gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, takeout and delivery restaurants, banks and laundromats. Those that must close include dine-in-only restaurants, movie theaters and entertainment venues, gyms and fitness studios, and hair and nail salons.
Walking the dog and going on hikes are allowed, but camping at state parks is not. Going to the doctor and pharmacy is allowed, but visiting relatives in the hospital or nursing home is not — with some exceptions, such as when a relative is near death.
Day-care centers and the small number of schools still operating in the state, including those that serve the children of healthcare workers and students with special needs, also are considered essential services and can remain open, said Brian Ferguson, spokesman for the governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
Californians “should at all times practice social distancing,” keeping at least six feet away from others when performing necessary activities, the administration directive states.
“If you need to go outside to get some exercise, do that, but don’t do that in a group setting,” Newsom said Saturday. “If you see a busy street, don’t run down that street. Again, use common sense. You want to take a walk with your dog, take a walk with your dog — just don’t do it with five or six neighbors.”
Before the governor’s order was put in place late Thursday, Newsom had issued only recommendations over the last week asking all residents to practice social distancing, those 65 and older to remain at home, and bars, restaurant dining rooms and other types of businesses to shutter — demonstrating a deliberately light touch that some described as the governor easing Californians into a new way of life in preparation for more severe restrictions.
At the same time, dozens of counties inundated with COVID-19 cases went a step further and adopted mandatory requirements to slow the spread of the coronavirus within their jurisdictions.
The Newsom administration attempted to clarify whether the governor’s statewide order superseded those of local governments.
“This is a statewide order. Depending on the conditions in their area, local officials may enforce stricter public health orders. But they may not loosen the state’s order,” state health officials said in an online statement released late Friday night.
But that statement was changed Saturday, saying only, “This is a statewide order.”
That change promises to only add to the confusion about which restrictions take precedence — those issued by Newsom on Thursday or those previously issued by local governments.
Counties have been eagerly awaiting new guidance from the governor’s office to help them understand how to implement his new restrictions and whether their own orders would remain in place.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay at home order to fight coronavirus pandemic California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on March 19 requiring Californians to stay at home but for “necessary activities.”
“There’s certainly questions,” said Paul A. Smith, vice president of governmental affairs for the Rural County Representatives of California. “What’s the role of front-line law enforcement? What’s the role of Alcoholic Beverage Control if we’re dealing with bars and taverns? How does the partnership between state and local government work?”
Smith said the lack of clarity wasn’t surprising in the middle of a crisis that neither the governor nor county leaders have contended with before.
“We have to understand that this is incredibly unprecedented,” Smith said. “We’re making massive public policy decisions and you can’t just cross every T and dot every I as we’re responding to a pandemic. We’re flying the plane as we build it, but at the same time, I think we’re going to get there.”
James Williams, the Santa Clara County counsel, said the county’s restrictions will remain in place, no matter what Newsom’s state mandate says. Santa Clara County has been one of the hardest hit with coronavirus cases in the state.
The state’s order considers some entertainment industry projects and general construction projects to be essential and therefore exempt from its restrictions. Santa Clara County does not exempt entertainment projects in its own stay-at-home order — only construction projects related to housing, infrastructure, healthcare and public works are exempt, Williams said.
“We’re very clear about our position,” Williams said Friday night. “We just had a 34% increase in cases between yesterday and today.”
In Orange County, confusion over the regulations has been so widespread — with some residents questioning whether they’re permitted to even go outside — that the county has staffed a hotline to respond to residents’ queries.
On Tuesday, the county’s healthcare agency first issued an order prohibiting public and private gatherings of any size, including at places of business, outside a single household. Some residents interpreted it to mean that Orange County was implementing a lockdown similar to strict stay-at-home orders issued by several San Francisco Bay Area counties.
County officials clarified the order that night, noting that it was not a lockdown and that some businesses should remain open. They followed up by issuing an amended order a day later that walked back the ban on gatherings.
On Thursday, the situation changed again when Newsom ordered all Californians to stay at home, marking the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the state.
In enforcing the governor’s order, Orange County Sheriff’s Department officials have encouraged deputies to take an educational approach — reminding people of the restrictions — before issuing citations, said Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department.
“We’re seeing all of this unfold in real time, but that’s not necessarily the case for the rest of the community,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Modoc County in the northeast corner of California, one of the most sparsely populated areas of the state, Sheriff Tex Dowdy said he was shocked by Newsom’s stay-at-home order and appeared defiant, saying it was unnecessary in a county without a single confirmed coronavirus case.
“We are standing behind our current recommendations of social distancing and simple measures like washing your hands to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Dowdy said in a statement posted on the sheriff’s website.
Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said the county’s directive and Newsom’s order are “generally in agreement” on which businesses and activities are considered essential.
“Where there are nuances, we’re working with the governor’s office for clarification and we hope to be able to rapidly reconcile any elements that are unclear,” Ferrer said Friday. “This may include minor revisions in the county health officer’s order in the days ahead.”
The additional details on jobs deemed essential should bring some relief to business owners across the state, some of whom were unsure whether they were exempt from closure under the governor’s order.
The California Chamber of Commerce on Saturday praised Newsom for clarifying what the state considers essential businesses, while also asking for a uniform, statewide policy on restrictions to replace the patchwork of stricter measures in some counties.
“We urge all local officials to follow the lead of the Newsom Administration by conforming their directives to these guidelines. A large number of California businesses operate in many different counties or span the entire state so the need for consistency in supply chain operations is critical,” the chamber said in a statement.
Newsom also announced Saturday that the state was leasing two hospitals, one in Southern California and one in Northern California, to help with the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.
“California is mobilizing every part of government to support our healthcare delivery system, its workers, and those among us who are most vulnerable to COVID-19,” Newsom said in a statement.
The state is paying $30 million to lease St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles and Seton Medical Center in Daly City for three months. St. Vincent, a 366-bed hospital in the Westlake neighborhood, closed this year because of financial woes. Both facilities will treat patients infected with the coronavirus, according to the governor’s announcement.
Verity Health System of California owns the hospitals and will run both on behalf of the state. Seton will be able to care for 120 COVID-19 patients beginning as soon as Wednesday, and St. Vincent will be operational as soon as possible.
Newsom also announced that the state would spend $8.6 million to purchase new ventilators, needed to help seriously ill patients breathe, and intravenous pumps, and to refurbish additional ventilators. California is spending $1.4 million to expand the capacity of the state’s public health lab in the Bay Area, which has been processing coronavirus tests.
Times staff writers John Myers and Matt Stiles contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-21--Construction on Rams stadium in Inglewood will continue during 'stay home' order

Construction on SoFi stadium in Inglewood is continuing because the work is exempt from Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s order that all Californians stay at home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , officials said .
The new , 70,000-seat home of the Rams and Chargers is set to open in late July and has an estimated cost of $ 5 billion , making it the priciest venue in NFL history .
Representatives of the project provided a letter sent by Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. to County Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Friday in which Butts wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s understanding of the governor ’ s order , as well as a similar mandate issued by L.A. County officials , neither apply to Inglewood public construction efforts .
Those include infrastructure related to the stadium , as well as the stadium itself , he wrote .
“ The State order is intended to ‘ establish consistency across the State ’ and provides for the ‘ continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors , critical government services , schools , childcare , and construction , including housing construction , ’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city has directed , and construction teams have implemented , social distancing , handwashing sites and a strict order for workers to stay home if they are sick .
“ I have urged anyone who is sick , feels at risk , or is otherwise uncomfortable to stay at home , ” Butts wrote .
“ I understand that the construction teams have reiterated and fully support this direction .
Housing construction also is continuing , with workers reporting to L.A. job sites on Friday .
Although cities such as Boston have halted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been the case in California .
Previous orders to stay inside , issued in the San Francisco Bay Area , exempted construction .
So did an order issued by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday , shortly before Newsom made his announcement ; the mayor ’ s spokesman said in an email that such work is essential to the economy .
“ These are unprecedented times , and the health and safety of our workers and their families is of the utmost importance to us , ” SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers are working from home , and project managers are working with the general contractors , including Turner AECOM Hunt , to increase health and safety measures for those who remain onsite , the statement said .
Turner AECOM Hunt already has adopted a number of mitigation measures at its project sites , including more frequent cleanings and strategies for reducing the density of workers , according to guidelines provided by the project representatives .
Project representatives also are in regular contact with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trades Councils , which have provided additional guidance around safety measures at job sites , the representatives said .
“ The trade councils and Hollywood Park are committed to continuing to provide work at a safe jobsite for all construction workers who can remain onsite and wish to continue working , ” they said .

Construction teams have taken steps to help keep workers on the SoFi Stadium project healthy during the pandemic.
Construction on SoFi stadium in Inglewood is continuing because the work is exempt from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order that all Californians stay at home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, officials said.
The new, 70,000-seat home of the Rams and Chargers is set to open in late July and has an estimated cost of $5 billion, making it the priciest venue in NFL history.
Representatives of the project provided a letter sent by Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. to County Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Friday in which Butts wrote that, based on the city’s understanding of the governor’s order, as well as a similar mandate issued by L.A. County officials, neither apply to Inglewood public construction efforts. Those include infrastructure related to the stadium, as well as the stadium itself, he wrote.
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“The State order is intended to ‘establish consistency across the State’ and provides for the ‘continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors, critical government services, schools, childcare, and construction, including housing construction,’ ” Butts wrote.
Read the letter from Mayor James Butts to Supervisor Kathryn Barger Inglewood Mayor James Butts wrote in a letter to L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger that construction on the SoFi Stadium is exempt from state and county orders that all Californians stay at home.
He said that the city has directed, and construction teams have implemented, social distancing, handwashing sites and a strict order for workers to stay home if they are sick.
“I have urged anyone who is sick, feels at risk, or is otherwise uncomfortable to stay at home,” Butts wrote. “I understand that the construction teams have reiterated and fully support this direction.
Housing construction also is continuing, with workers reporting to L.A. job sites on Friday.
Although cities such as Boston have halted most construction, that hasn’t been the case in California. Previous orders to stay inside, issued in the San Francisco Bay Area, exempted construction.
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So did an order issued by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday, shortly before Newsom made his announcement; the mayor’s spokesman said in an email that such work is essential to the economy.
“These are unprecedented times, and the health and safety of our workers and their families is of the utmost importance to us,” SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park said in a statement.
All nonessential workers are working from home, and project managers are working with the general contractors, including Turner AECOM Hunt, to increase health and safety measures for those who remain onsite, the statement said.
Turner AECOM Hunt already has adopted a number of mitigation measures at its project sites, including more frequent cleanings and strategies for reducing the density of workers, according to guidelines provided by the project representatives.
Project representatives also are in regular contact with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Councils, which have provided additional guidance around safety measures at job sites, the representatives said.
“The trade councils and Hollywood Park are committed to continuing to provide work at a safe jobsite for all construction workers who can remain onsite and wish to continue working,” they said.
Times staff writer Andrew Khouri contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-21--Orange County coronavirus cases rise to 78 as residents cope, firefighter infected

The number of coronavirus cases in Orange County rose to 78 Saturday as residents coped with statewide restrictions on movements .
An Orange County firefighter at Station 4 In Irvine has tested positive for COVID-19 but is “ feeling fine , ” officials said Friday .
The Orange County Fire Authority has placed 24 other firefighters who associated with the sick firefighter into self-isolation .
Here is a breakdown of the Orange County cases : The call for social isolation is causing the temporary closure of several gathering places for older residents across Orange County .
For Bob Harrison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Model Engineers .
Since the organization temporarily closed its train operations a couple of weeks ago , Harrison isn ’ t going to Costa Mesa ’ s Fairview Park as much .
Instead , he made a rail yard a little closer to home : in his living room .
“ My wife ’ s upset with me a little bit , ” he said .
Harrison ’ s age and previous bouts with pneumonia put him in the high-risk category for the coronavirus .
He stocked up on groceries a couple of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to home .
To stay busy , he ’ s tinkering with the model train — adding a rail here and there , running the engine .
It reminds him of his days growing up on a farm and driving to the railroad tracks to watch the trains roll by .
He plans to return to the Fairview Park rail yard next week but only to unlock the door for a termite inspector .
For the most part , he ’ s spending his time cleaning out old magazines , teleconferencing for International @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the door with his twin 11-year-old grandsons , who live down the road .
“ I ’ m not doing a lot of things , but I ’ m not going to give up seeing those two little boys grow up , ” Harrison said .
Courtney Wight said she forgets sometimes .
A neighbor was giving things away Tuesday and Wight left her Laguna Beach home to see what was available .
But as people came up and talked to her , she remembered — “ I shouldn ’ t be here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , Wight , 82 , returned to self-isolating in her home in accordance with state recommendations for people 65 and older to stay home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease COVID-19 .
When Orange County ordered this week that bars and restaurant dine-in services be shut down , Mario Marovic locked up Malarky ’ s , his popular Irish pub in Newport Beach .
On Friday , he set up a one-day-only drive-through toilet paper operation at the shuttered establishment on Newport Boulevard .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 5 for 10 rolls .
On Thursday , he teamed with Newport Beach Mayor Will O ’ Neill to deliver 1,100 rolls to the Oasis Senior Center for distribution to low-income senior facilities .

Richard Winton, Hillary Davis, Lilly Nguyen
, Faith E. Pinho

Dr. Dallas Weaver, left, and his wife Janet Weaver will put their masks and gloves in the oven and clothes in the dryer after walking on Huntington Beach Pier.
The number of coronavirus cases in Orange County rose to 78 Saturday as residents coped with statewide restrictions on movements.
An Orange County firefighter at Station 4 In Irvine has tested positive for COVID-19 but is “feeling fine,” officials said Friday. The Orange County Fire Authority has placed 24 other firefighters who associated with the sick firefighter into self-isolation.
Here is a breakdown of the Orange County cases:
35 Travel-related.
8 Person-to-person.
29 Community-acquired.
6 Under investigation.
The call for social isolation is causing the temporary closure of several gathering places for older residents across Orange County.
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For Bob Harrison, 80, that includes the Orange County Model Engineers.
Since the organization temporarily closed its train operations a couple of weeks ago, Harrison isn’t going to Costa Mesa’s Fairview Park as much. Instead, he made a rail yard a little closer to home: in his living room.
“My wife’s upset with me a little bit,” he said.
Harrison’s age and previous bouts with pneumonia put him in the high-risk category for the coronavirus. He stocked up on groceries a couple of weeks ago and has since kept close to home. To stay busy, he’s tinkering with the model train — adding a rail here and there, running the engine.
It reminds him of his days growing up on a farm and driving to the railroad tracks to watch the trains roll by.
He plans to return to the Fairview Park rail yard next week but only to unlock the door for a termite inspector.
For the most part, he’s spending his time cleaning out old magazines, teleconferencing for International Society of Automation meetings and chatting through the door with his twin 11-year-old grandsons, who live down the road.
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“I’m not doing a lot of things, but I’m not going to give up seeing those two little boys grow up,” Harrison said.
Courtney Wight said she forgets sometimes.
A neighbor was giving things away Tuesday and Wight left her Laguna Beach home to see what was available. But as people came up and talked to her, she remembered — “I shouldn’t be here,” she thought.
The next day, Wight, 82, returned to self-isolating in her home in accordance with state recommendations for people 65 and older to stay home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease COVID-19.
When Orange County ordered this week that bars and restaurant dine-in services be shut down, Mario Marovic locked up Malarky’s, his popular Irish pub in Newport Beach.
But he didn’t stop working.
On Friday, he set up a one-day-only drive-through toilet paper operation at the shuttered establishment on Newport Boulevard. He brought 4,000 rolls, selling them for $5 for 10 rolls.
On Thursday, he teamed with Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill to deliver 1,100 rolls to the Oasis Senior Center for distribution to low-income senior facilities.


latimes--2020-03-21--California coronavirus deaths rise to 24 as hospitals brace for flood of patients

California entered the weekend with coronavirus deaths rising to 24 , orders for most residents to stay at home to slow the spread and already desperate hospitals bracing for more patients that officials fear will overwhelm the state ’ s healthcare system .
The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus , in California now stands at over 1,300 , but officials have said that is a gross underestimation due to the lack of tests for the virus .
Testing picked up this week but healthcare authorities said they still don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how many people are infected .
About 25,200 tests had been conducted in California by both commercial and private labs , as of 2 p.m. Friday , the state Department of Public Health said Saturday .
Results for more than 12,700 of them were pending .
A growing number of the cases in California are instances of community transmission , in which the person diagnosed had not recently traveled or been in contact with another confirmed case .
Those cases indicate that the virus is spreading locally within communities .
Community transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February , and since early March , most of the cases in the state have been unrelated to international travel , the state Public Health Department said Saturday .
Therefore , the state will no longer collect information about travelers returning to California from countries with confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19 , the Public Health Department said .
Los Angeles County confirmed 61 new coronavirus cases Friday , including 12 in Long Beach and two in Pasadena .
The new cases bring the county ’ s total to 292 .
The median age for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected is 47 , county Public Health Department Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said .
There are 138 people between the ages of 18 and 65 who have tested positive .
“ The risk is spread across everyone , ” Ferrer said .
At least 14 Los Angeles Police Department employees have shown symptoms and been tested after two police officials were found to have contracted the virus earlier this week , sources said .
One of the officials is a sergeant in the Pacific Division , who is hospitalized , and the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources said .
The LAPD has now set up a plan for first-responder testing , they said .
On Saturday , Long Beach announced that it had recorded three more cases of the virus , for a total of 15 .
New cases were also reported in Orange County , which rose from 65 to 78 , and Riverside County , which rose from 22 to 28 .
In Orange County , a resident of graduate student housing at UC Irvine tested positive for the coronavirus , the school said Saturday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had recently returned from an international trip and reported symptoms , Dr. Albert Chang , medical director of the UCI Student Health Center , said in a statement .
The person is isolated and in good condition , and the risk of transmission to others on campus is low , the school said .
Big Bear Mayor Lake Rick Herrick tested positive for the coronavirus , becoming the first confirmed case in Big Bear Lake and the 10th in San Bernardino County , the city announced Saturday .
Herrick was tested on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
He is doing well and expected to recover , the city said .
“ This is not the announcement that I imagined , but I hope that by going public on what is normally a private , HIPAA-type subject can be a learning moment for our tight-knit community , ” Herrick said in a statement .
He said that he became sick with relatively mild symptoms about a week ago and self-quarantined at his home .
He will continue to conduct his mayoral duties from home , he said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials , and none are currently symptomatic , the release said .
Any members of the public who had contact with the mayor before he self-quarantined can call the San Bernardino County Public Health Department for advice , officials said .
Intensive care beds at L.A. County ’ s emergency-room hospitals are already at or near capacity , even as those facilities have doubled the number available for COVID-19 patients in recent days , according to newly released data .
Fewer than 200 ICU beds were available Wednesday , with most occupied by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , according to the data , which covers the roughly 70 public and private hospitals in Los Angeles County that receive emergency patients .
County health officials have advised doctors to refrain from testing some patients , unless a positive result could change how they would be treated .
The guidance , sent to doctors in a letter on Thursday , was prompted by a crush of patients and shortage of test kits , and could make it difficult to ever know precisely how many people in the county contracted the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a strategy of case containment to slowing disease transmission and averting excess morbidity and mortality , ” according to the letter .
Doctors should test symptomatic patients only when “ a diagnostic result will change clinical management or inform public health response.
” Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Friday deployed the California National Guard to assist food banks statewide that are serving residents facing food shortages .
Newsom said the short-term deployment will initially assist a food bank warehouse in Sacramento County , and will also assess the needs of other counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The move came a day after he took the extraordinary action of telling most Californians so stay home .
The mandatory order allows residents to continue to visit grocery stores , pharmacies , farmers markets , food banks , convenience stores , takeout and delivery restaurants , banks , gas stations and laundromats .
People may also leave their homes to care for a relative or a friend or seek healthcare services .
Newsom asked Californians to practice social distancing when performing such “ necessary activities.
” “ We ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ We ’ re going to make sure that you ’ re getting critical medical supplies .
You can still take your kids outside , practicing common sense and social distancing .
You can still walk your dog.
” On Saturday , after a day of confusion about the reach of Newsom ’ s historic executive order , the state announced that more stringent sets of mandatory restrictions implemented by some California counties and cities will remain in place .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he strongly supported the move by Newsom , as well as a similar directive by New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , and urged residents of the two hard-hit states to heed the new orders .
President Trump also praised Newsom and Cuomo , saying , “ I applaud them ” for “ taking very bold steps ” to limit activities in their states .
On Saturday , Trump said he is continuing to work with the two governors .
“ We coordinate very much with them , ” he said .
Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor ’ s order .
On Friday , automobile traffic was “ pandemic light.
” Hiking trails , meanwhile , were filled with cabin fever sufferers who stayed the requisite six feet apart and smiled a lot more than normal , grateful to be anywhere but home .
The city of El Segundo blocked off parking spots in front of local restaurants , where sit-down service is prohibited , and posted cheerful “ Gundo to Go ” signs .
Masks and latex gloves were the garb of the day for those who ventured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 10:30 a.m. Friday , there were twice as many workers as there were travelers at the Air Canada counter in Terminal 6 .
The LAXit lot looked all but closed .
The four zones where travelers wait for Uber and Lyft rides had a total of three cars at 11:15 a.m .
There were 13 taxis .
And the travelers ?
Forget about it .
At Griffith Park , dog walkers and exercisers were out in force Friday morning .
People did lunges on the grass and pushups on the picnic tables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until further notice.
” Robert Dolan , a 64-year-old Los Feliz resident , said he ’ d been cooped up at home for nearly a week .
But on Friday he decided to resume his regular speed walking routine .
“ I was feeling stuck in the house because of the coronavirus and all that , ” he said .
“ Finally I said today I need to get out of here , because it ’ s driving me crazy.
” He sat on a stone ledge and watched a robin land on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flow of water near his feet .
“ It ’ s better than it usually is , ” he said , “ because I ’ ve actually stopped and looked.
” Additional deaths were reported Friday across the state .
Contra Costa County announced its first death related to the virus : a person in their 70s who had an underlying medical condition and had recently traveled to Europe .
The patient died Thursday in an undisclosed hospital .
Riverside County .
Information about the victim wasn ’ t immediately available .
Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 on Friday , bringing its total to eight .

Alex Wigglesworth, Maria L. La Ganga, Phil Willon, Matt Stiles, Richard Winton

During the coronavirus epidemic people continue to walk, ride thier bikes, and play basketball at Junipero Beach in Long Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People walk the beach, but maintain “social distancing” during the coronavirus outbreak at Crystal Cove in Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
With all the stores closed, Fashion Island is a ghost town except for an occasional customer getting food for take-out Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
The Apple store is among all the stores which have closed during the coronavirus outbreak in Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Popular shopping destination Rodeo Drive is all but deserted as retail shops are shuttered in Beverly Hills. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
On the first day of L.A.’s ‘Safer at Home,” most major avenues and streets in downtown Los Angeles have very little traffic. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood Blvd. is devoid of the usual crowds as most shops are closed. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood Blvd. is devoid of the usual crowds as most shops are closed. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
The intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
The city of Santa Monica has closed the Santa Monica Pier, and few people were on the beach Friday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Vehicles flow smoothly along Interstate 5 and the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles in this drone image. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
In this drone image, the Westfield Topanga mall parking lot sits empty, as new regulations have closed all indoor shopping centers in Canoga Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
School buses sit idle since all schools have been closed in Los Angeles County. The image was taken by drone. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
The sparsely trafficked intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles is seen in a drone image. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Spooked by coronavirus fears, people from nearby Inland Empire cities lined-up to buy eggs at Maust’s California Poultry in Chino. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Xiao Ping, holding a tray of eggs, looks back at the long line of egg buyers on Saturda morning in Chino. Spooked by coronavirus people from nearby Inland Empire cities started lining up early morning at Maust’s California Poultry in Chino. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Drivers line-up to get a coronavirus test administered by Riverside County medical personnel at a drive-though testing facility at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. Those tested have symptoms or have had a risk of exposure. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Jesus Mendoza sells roses on the sidewalk in downtown Los Angeles. Mendoza said his business was overwhelmed by hundred of boxes of roses they could not sell. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People run and walk on the Veterans Parkway in Manhattan Beach even with signage saying the space is closed to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. (Dania Maxwell/Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
During the coronavirus pandemic, people continue to walk and ride their bikes along the path at Junipero Beach in Long Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
At Echo Park Lake, friends gather with their dogs and enjoy a Sunday afternoon in the park. Social distancing and home isolation remain in effect due to the coronavirus. (Carolyn Cole/Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Workers at the Ralphs grocery store in Westchester measure out social distancing guidelines for its customers with markers every six feet and limiting the number of customers it allows in to shop. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
The death toll rose in California this weekend as coronavirus cases spread and residents tried to adjust to extraordinary restrictions on their movement.
Los Angeles County health officials on Sunday confirmed one more coronavirus death, bringing the total number of deaths to five. They also reported 71 new cases in the county, with the total number now at 409. There were 132 new cases reported in last 48 hours.
The number of coronavirus deaths statewide stands at 35.
“It is critical that everyone practices social distancing, obey the Safer at Home Health Officer Order and assume that anyone can have COVID-19, and anyone could unintentionally infect others,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County Public Health Director. “Please know that the actions you take today to stay 6 feet away from others and limit all non-essential activities outside your home are the best way for us to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.”
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The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, in California now stands at more than 1,500, with 30 deaths, but officials have said that the number of cases is a gross underestimation due to the lack of tests for the virus. Testing picked up this week, but healthcare authorities said they still don’t have anything close to a firm estimate of how many people are infected.
More than 25,200 tests had been conducted in California, by both commercial and private labs, the state Department of Public Health said Saturday. Results for more than 12,700 of them were pending.
A growing number of the cases in California are instances of community transmission, in which the person diagnosed had not recently traveled or been in contact with another confirmed case. Those cases indicate that the virus is spreading locally within communities.
Community transmission has been identified in California since late February, and since early March, most of the cases in the state have been unrelated to international travel, the state Public Health Department said Saturday. Therefore, the state will no longer collect information about travelers returning to California from countries with confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19, the Public Health Department said.
In Los Angeles County, the median age for the total number of those who have been infected is 47, Ferrer said. There are 138 people between the ages of 18 and 65 who have tested positive.
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“The risk is spread across everyone,” she said.
On Saturday, a third Los Angeles police officer tested positive for the coronavirus. The officer, who had recently returned from a vacation out of the country, was “coughing and sweating” during roll call earlier this week in the Central Division, which patrols areas that include downtown L.A., sources told The Times.
At least 14 Los Angeles Police Department employees have shown symptoms and been tested for the virus, sources said. The other two who tested positive are a sergeant in the Pacific Division, who is hospitalized, and the other is a high-ranking command staffer, the sources said. The LAPD has now set up a plan for first-responder testing, they said.
On Saturday, Long Beach announced that it had recorded three more cases of the virus, for a total of 15.
New cases were also reported in Orange County, which rose from 65 to 95, and Riverside County, which rose from 22 to 45, with six deaths.
In Orange County, a resident of graduate student housing at UC Irvine tested positive for the coronavirus, the school said Saturday.
The person, who is not a student, had recently returned from an international trip and reported symptoms, Dr. Albert Chang, medical director of the UCI Student Health Center, said in a statement. The person is isolated and in good condition, and the risk of transmission to others on campus is low, the school said.
Big Bear Lake mayor Rick Herrick tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the first confirmed case in Big Bear Lake and the 10th in San Bernardino County, the city announced Saturday.
Herrick was tested on Thursday and received a positive result late Friday. He is doing well and expected to recover, the city said.
“This is not the announcement that I imagined, but I hope that by going public on what is normally a private, HIPAA-type subject can be a learning moment for our tight-knit community,” Herrick said in a statement.
He said that he became sick with relatively mild symptoms about a week ago and self-quarantined at his home. He will continue to conduct his mayoral duties from home, he said.
The mayor had limited contact with other city officials, and none are currently symptomatic, the release said. Any members of the public who had contact with the mayor before he self-quarantined can call the San Bernardino County Public Health Department for advice, officials said.
In San Jose, a reserve police officer who tested positive for coronavirus is now in an intensive care unit at a local hospital, while another 20 officers or reserves remain self-quarantined, according to a source. Eleven city firefighters have tested positive, and more than 50 are in self-quarantine.
Intensive care beds at L.A. County’s emergency-room hospitals are already at or near capacity, even as those facilities have doubled the number available for COVID-19 patients in recent days, according to newly released data.
Fewer than 200 ICU beds were available Wednesday, with most occupied by patients who don’t have the virus, according to the data, which cover the roughly 70 public and private hospitals in Los Angeles County that receive emergency patients.
County health officials have advised doctors to refrain from testing some patients unless a positive result could change how they would be treated.
The guidance, sent to doctors in a letter last week, was prompted by a crush of patients and shortage of test kits, and could make it difficult to ever know precisely how many people in the county contracted the virus.
The health department “is shifting from a strategy of case containment to slowing disease transmission and averting excess morbidity and mortality,” according to the letter. Doctors should test symptomatic patients only when “a diagnostic result will change clinical management or inform public health response.”
Sweeping orders
On Sunday, President Trump approved a request from Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a major disaster in California to help the state respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with “mass care,” emergency aid, unemployment assistance and disaster legal services, among others.
Newsom on Friday deployed the California National Guard to assist food banks statewide that are serving residents facing food shortages.
Newsom said the short-term deployment will initially assist a food bank warehouse in Sacramento County and will also assess the needs of other counties that have requested assistance with their programs.
The move came a day after he took the extraordinary action of telling most Californians so stay home.
The mandatory order allows residents to continue to visit grocery stores, pharmacies, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, takeout and delivery restaurants, banks, gas stations and laundromats. People may also leave their homes to care for a relative or a friend or seek healthcare services.
Newsom asked Californians to practice social distancing when performing such “necessary activities.”
“We’re going to keep the grocery stores open,” he said. “We’re going to make sure that you’re getting critical medical supplies. You can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog.”
On Saturday, after a day of confusion about the reach of Newsom’s historic executive order, the state announced that more stringent sets of mandatory restrictions implemented by some California counties and cities will remain in place.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he strongly supported the move by Newsom, as well as a similar directive by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and urged residents of the two hard-hit states to heed the new orders.
President Trump also praised Newsom and Cuomo, saying, “I applaud them” for “taking very bold steps” to limit activities in their states.
On Saturday, Trump said he is continuing to work with the two governors. “We coordinate very much with them,” he said.
Lives changing
Saturday will be a key test of the governor’s order.
On Friday, automobile traffic was “pandemic light.” Hiking trails, meanwhile, were filled with cabin-fever sufferers who stayed the requisite six feet apart and smiled a lot more than normal, grateful to be anywhere but home.
The city of El Segundo blocked off parking spots in front of local restaurants, where sit-down service is prohibited, and posted cheerful “Gundo to Go” signs. Masks and latex gloves were the garb of the day for those who ventured out.
At Los Angeles International Airport at 10:30 a.m. Friday, there were twice as many workers as there were travelers at the Air Canada counter in Terminal 6. The LAXit lot looked all but closed. The four zones where travelers wait for Uber and Lyft rides had a total of three cars at 11:15 a.m. There were 13 taxis. And the travelers? Forget about it.
At Griffith Park, dog walkers and exercisers were out in force Friday morning. People did lunges on the grass and push-ups on the picnic tables. A sign flashed “Observatory closed until further notice.”
Robert Dolan, a 64-year-old Los Feliz resident, said he’d been cooped up at home for nearly a week. But on Friday he decided to resume his regular speed-walking routine.
“I was feeling stuck in the house because of the coronavirus and all that,” he said. “Finally I said today I need to get out of here, because it’s driving me crazy.”
He sat on a stone ledge and watched a robin land on a tree. He listened to the flow of water near his feet.
“It’s better than it usually is,” he said, “because I’ve actually stopped and looked.”
Additional deaths
Additional deaths were reported Friday across the state. Contra Costa County announced its first death related to the virus: a person in their 70s who had an underlying medical condition and had recently traveled to Europe. The patient died Thursday in an undisclosed hospital.
Riverside County reported its fourth death . Information about the victim wasn’t immediately available.
Santa Clara County announced two additional deaths from COVID-19 on Friday, bringing its total to eight.


latimes--2020-03-21--See 6 hauntingly beautiful shots of Hollywood under 'stay home' order

On Thursday evening , Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a statewide “ stay at home ” order .
Newsom ’ @ @ @ @ @ the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the @ @ @ @ @ the novel coronavirus .
The order also prohibits gatherings in enclosed spaces of more than @ @ @ @ @ Times photographer Jay L. Clendenin and videographer Mark Potts document the first night of the @ @ @ @

Very little pedestrian traffic in front of a closed Hollywood and Highland shopping complex. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
On Thursday evening, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide “stay at home” order. Newsom’s executive order also marks the first mandatory restrictions placed on the lives of all 40 million residents in the state’s fight against the novel coronavirus. The order also prohibits gatherings in enclosed spaces of more than 10 people.
Los Angeles Times photographer Jay L. Clendenin and videographer Mark Potts document the first night of the order in Hollywood.
Quiet scene along Hollywood Boulevard in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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A long exposure reveals ghosting effect of foot traffic along Hollywood Boulevard near Madame Tussauds in Hollywood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-03-21--Here is the latest list of L.A. communities with coronavirus cases

Los Angeles County saw another jump in coronavirus cases Friday with 61 new cases reported .
The total number of cases stands at 292 , but officials warned that number is going to rise dramatically as more tests occur .
Testing continues to pick up in L.A. County .
So far , about 2,400 people have been tested in L.A. County .
Roughly 10 % of those have tested positive , health officials said .
They said an individual would need to go to a medical provider , who would then authorize a test .
They stressed to not go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The median age for the total of those who have been infected is 47 , county Public Health Department Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said .
There are 138 people between the ages of 18 and 65 who have tested positive .
“ The risk is spread across everyone , ” Ferrer said at a briefing Friday .
Here are the communities with coronavirus cases : RESTRICTIONS : L.A. is now under a “ safer at home ” order .
The Los Angeles County order requires all indoor malls , shopping centers , playgrounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people in enclosed spaces .
The city of Los Angeles issued a significantly more restrictive order , requiring all nonessential businesses to close , with companies able to operate only through the “ safer at home ” order through work-at-home arrangements .
The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside homes .
Under the city ’ s new order , officials said residents are permitted to : • Go to the grocery store • Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( check with your doctor or provider first ) • Take a walk , ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community • Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian , if necessary • Help someone to get necessary supplies Residents are not allowed to : • Go to work unless providing essential services as defined by the order • Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need • Maintain less than six feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out • Travel to or from a job outside the city , unless to perform essential activities • Travel to or from a vacation home outside the city • Visit loved ones in a hospital , nursing home , skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility

Nancy Silverton’s Chi Spacca was converted into a relief center of sorts, offering free meals and supplies to restaurant workers.
Los Angeles County saw another jump in coronavirus cases Friday with 61 new cases reported.
The total number of cases stands at 292, but officials warned that number is going to rise dramatically as more tests occur.
Testing continues to pick up in L.A. County. So far, about 2,400 people have been tested in L.A. County. Roughly 10% of those have tested positive, health officials said. They said an individual would need to go to a medical provider, who would then authorize a test. They stressed to not go to a hospital to be tested.
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The median age for the total of those who have been infected is 47, county Public Health Department Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said. There are 138 people between the ages of 18 and 65 who have tested positive.
“The risk is spread across everyone,” Ferrer said at a briefing Friday.
Here are the communities with coronavirus cases:
Alhambra -- 3
Altadena -- 2
Arcadia -- 2
Baldwin Hills -- 1
Beverly Hills -- 5
Beverlywood -- 2
Boyle Heights -- 5
Brentwood -- 16
Burbank -- 1
Calabasas -- 1
Carson -- 3
Castaic -- 1
Century City -- 4
Century Palms/Cove -- 1
Covina -- 1
Crestview -- 1
Culver City -- 4
Diamond Bar -- 2
Downtown -- 1
Eagle Rock -- 1
East Los Angeles -- 1
Echo Park -- 1
El Segundo -- 1
Encino -- 8
Gardena -- 1
Glendale -- 4
Granada Hills -- 4
Hancock Park -- 2
Hawthorne -- 2
Hollywood -- 7
Hollywood Hills-- 2
Inglewood -- 2
Koreatown -- 1
La Mirada -- 3
Lake Balboa-- 1
Lakewood -- 1
Lancaster -- 3
Lawndale -- 1
Lomita -- 5
Lynwood -- 1
Manhattan Beach -- 6
Mar Vista -- 3
Melrose -- 11
Miracle Mile --1
Monterey Park -- 2
North Hollywood -- 5
Northridge -- 1
Pacific Palisades -- 6
Palms -- 1
Park La Brea -- 4
Playa Vista -- 1
Redondo Beach -- 1
Reseda -- 2
San Dimas -- 1
San Fernando --1
San Pedro -- 1
Santa Clarita -- 4
Santa Monica -- 4
Santa Monica Mountains -- 2
Sherman Oaks -- 6
South El Monte -- 1
South Pasadena -- 2
South Whittier -- 1
Stevenson Ranch -- 1
Studio City -- 3
Sylmar -- 1
Tarzana -- 6
Torrance -- 2
Tujunga --1
University Park --1
Valley Glen -- 3
Van Nuys -- 1
Venice -- 4
Vermont Knolls -- 1
Walnut -- 2
West Adams -- 1
West Hills -- 3
West Hollywood -- 15
West Los Angeles -- 3
West Vernon -- 1
Westchester -- 3
Westwood -- 5
Whittier -- 2
Winnetka -- 1
Woodland Hills -- 4
- Under Investigation --39
RESTRICTIONS: L.A. is now under a “safer at home” order. The Los Angeles County order requires all indoor malls, shopping centers, playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses to close and prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people in enclosed spaces. The city of Los Angeles issued a significantly more restrictive order, requiring all nonessential businesses to close, with companies able to operate only through the “safer at home” order through work-at-home arrangements. The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside homes.
Under the city’s new order, officials said residents are permitted to:
Go to the grocery store
Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities
Go to medical appointments (check with your doctor or provider first)
Take a walk, ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community
Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian, if necessary
Help someone to get necessary supplies
Residents are not allowed to:


latimes--2020-03-21--Does air pollution make you more susceptible to coronavirus? California won't like the answer

The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has many people wondering what environmental factors , beyond age and underlying health problems , make some individuals more vulnerable to COVID-19 than others .
That ’ s especially true in California , where residents have long struggled with the nation ’ s worst-polluted air .
So , does air pollution increase your risk ?
While health scientists can ’ t say for sure , they suspect bad air makes people more susceptible to the novel coronavirus .
They point to loads of research showing people who smoke or breathe dirty air are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by similar viruses and of developing more severe symptoms once they have it .
“ There ’ s lots of evidence that air pollution increases the chances that someone will get pneumonia , and if they get pneumonia , will be sicker with it , ” said Aaron Bernstein , interim director of the Center for Climate , Health , and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health .
“ We don ’ t have direct evidence of that with COVID , but I would be surprised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID infection and the severity of illness.
” “ The overwhelming majority of studies demonstrate that air pollution matters a lot to whether you are going to get sick with pneumonia and whether you are going to have mild illness or severe illness , ” Bernstein added .
That means the virus could be more damaging to people living in polluted areas , because their lungs may already be impaired and their defenses weakened .
There is also evidence from previous outbreaks of similar coronaviruses that people exposed to dirty air are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who studied the SARS coronavirus outbreak in 2003 found that infected patients from regions with higher air pollution were 84 % more likely to die than those in less-polluted areas .
Why do scientists suspect this ?
Studies going back more than a decade have established that people living in neighborhoods with dirty air from vehicle exhaust and other combustion sources are hospitalized for pneumonia at higher rates than in areas with lower pollution , according to health experts .
That evidence indicates that long-term exposure to pollution makes people more susceptible to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worsens their symptoms once they have it .
It applies both to bacterial infections and those caused by viruses similar to the coronavirus .
“ To the extent that it ’ s behaving like another pneumonia , yes , I think there ’ s going to be some elevated risk that ’ s associated with being in higher air pollution , but we don ’ t know enough about the biology of this particular virus to know how it ’ s going to respond , ” said Michael Jerrett , a professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Public Health .
How does air pollution weaken our defenses ?
People who live in smoggy areas may be less equipped to fight off the virus to begin with .
That ’ s because air pollution , just like smoking , damages the lungs and makes it harder for them to fight off respiratory infections .
Exposure to ozone , fine particulate matter and other components of smog stress and inflame the lungs over the long term .
“ When a pollutant enters the lung , the lung treats it like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process of defense , ” Jerrett said .
Cells try to remove the pollutant , he said , and over time that depletes energy , causing the lungs to become inflamed .
“ Once the lung is inflamed , the ability of a virus to penetrate is elevated , ” Jerrett said .
That affects the lungs ’ response to a virus in the alveoli , the tiny air sacs where oxygen moves into the bloodstream .
“ They ’ re already expending energy to fight air pollution , ” Jerrett said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their defense is already diminished.
” What if air quality improves in the short term ?
There is robust evidence that even short-term exposure to polluted air can increase lung infections , Jerrett said .
Meaning that when pollution goes up , hospitals see an increase in admissions for pneumonia a few days later .
“ In that case it ’ s probably not necessarily contributing to the formation of the disease , but it is exacerbating the severity , ” Jerrett said .
But it suggests we also stand to gain an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality .
Satellite imagery has revealed dramatic declines in air pollution during quarantines and lockdowns in Italy and China .
In parts of California , residents have already begun to comment on how clean the air has been in the last few days , though air quality officials said it remains unclear if this is due mostly to recent rains and winds that flush out pollution , or the sudden drop-off in motor vehicle traffic .
If improved air quality becomes a widespread side effect of the outbreak , it could be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health benefits just when people need them most to fight off respiratory infection .
How big of a health problem is dirty air ?
Globally , air pollution is the greatest environmental health threat , killing 7 million people each year , according to the World Health Organization .
The primary mechanism of harm are fine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and cause illnesses such as stroke , heart disease , lung cancer and respiratory infections including pneumonia .
Most of those deaths occur in developing countries in Asia and Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But thousands of Americans still die from polluted air each year , despite big improvements in air quality compared to decades ago .
In the U.S. , the health damage remains worst in California , with its large population exposed to the nation ’ s highest smog levels .
Experts note a big overlap between the populations most vulnerable during the coronavirus outbreak and those most harmed by dirty air .
Unfortunately , that means some of the same underlying health problems that make people more vulnerable to air pollution , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder , also appear to be risk factors for the coronavirus .
Preliminary research on the novel coronavirus outbreak in China suggests that smokers are more susceptible to infection .
Men , who smoke at higher rates than women in that country , were more likely to die from the virus , scientists found .
“ If you don ’ t have good reason to stop smoking already , this is a good reason , ” Bernstein said .
While a definitive link has not been established yet for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased risk for most every other respiratory infection studied .
How else can I lower my risk from pollution ?
There are other steps you can take to improve your air quality , especially inside your home , where you are likely spending a lot of time during widespread closures and social distancing .
“ Make sure that the air filter on your HVAC system is clean , ” Bernstein said .
High-efficiency air filters -- those rated 13 or higher on the 16-point MERV scale -- can help remove particles that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Don ’ t have a central air system ?
Consider using a standalone air-cleaning device , which helps reduce particle pollution levels in individual rooms within your home .
Make sure the model you choose is certified by California regulators .
You can also reduce air pollution inside your home by venting your kitchen stove to the outside , if possible .
“ If people have gas cooktops in their homes and they have a vent , make sure to use it , ” Bernstein said .
“ You want to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoor air as good as possible .
”

Eileen Oda Leaf, 67, center, wears a mask while waiting with other seniors outside Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach during a seniors shopping hour early on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.
The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has many people wondering what environmental factors, beyond age and underlying health problems, make some individuals more vulnerable to COVID-19 than others.
That’s especially true in California, where residents have long struggled with the nation’s worst-polluted air.
So, does air pollution increase your risk?
Probably, experts say.
While health scientists can’t say for sure, they suspect bad air makes people more susceptible to the novel coronavirus. They point to loads of research showing people who smoke or breathe dirty air are at higher risk of contracting pneumonia caused by similar viruses and of developing more severe symptoms once they have it.
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“There’s lots of evidence that air pollution increases the chances that someone will get pneumonia, and if they get pneumonia, will be sicker with it,” said Aaron Bernstein, interim director of the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “We don’t have direct evidence of that with COVID, but I would be surprised if air pollution did not affect risk for COVID infection and the severity of illness.”
“The overwhelming majority of studies demonstrate that air pollution matters a lot to whether you are going to get sick with pneumonia and whether you are going to have mild illness or severe illness,” Bernstein added.
That means the virus could be more damaging to people living in polluted areas, because their lungs may already be impaired and their defenses weakened.
There is also evidence from previous outbreaks of similar coronaviruses that people exposed to dirty air are at greater risk of dying. Scientists who studied the SARS coronavirus outbreak in 2003 found that infected patients from regions with higher air pollution were 84% more likely to die than those in less-polluted areas.
Why do scientists suspect this?
Studies going back more than a decade have established that people living in neighborhoods with dirty air from vehicle exhaust and other combustion sources are hospitalized for pneumonia at higher rates than in areas with lower pollution, according to health experts.
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That evidence indicates that long-term exposure to pollution makes people more susceptible to acquiring pneumonia in the first place and worsens their symptoms once they have it. It applies both to bacterial infections and those caused by viruses similar to the coronavirus.
“To the extent that it’s behaving like another pneumonia, yes, I think there’s going to be some elevated risk that’s associated with being in higher air pollution, but we don’t know enough about the biology of this particular virus to know how it’s going to respond,” said Michael Jerrett, a professor of environmental health science at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
How does air pollution weaken our defenses?
People who live in smoggy areas may be less equipped to fight off the virus to begin with. That’s because air pollution, just like smoking, damages the lungs and makes it harder for them to fight off respiratory infections. Exposure to ozone, fine particulate matter and other components of smog stress and inflame the lungs over the long term.
“When a pollutant enters the lung, the lung treats it like a foreign invader and initiates a whole process of defense,” Jerrett said.
Cells try to remove the pollutant, he said, and over time that depletes energy, causing the lungs to become inflamed.
“Once the lung is inflamed, the ability of a virus to penetrate is elevated,” Jerrett said.
That affects the lungs’ response to a virus in the alveoli, the tiny air sacs where oxygen moves into the bloodstream.
“They’re already expending energy to fight air pollution,” Jerrett said. “If another invader comes in, their defense is already diminished.”
What if air quality improves in the short term?
There is robust evidence that even short-term exposure to polluted air can increase lung infections, Jerrett said. Meaning that when pollution goes up, hospitals see an increase in admissions for pneumonia a few days later.
“In that case it’s probably not necessarily contributing to the formation of the disease, but it is exacerbating the severity,” Jerrett said.
But it suggests we also stand to gain an advantage against the virus by improving air quality.
Satellite imagery has revealed dramatic declines in air pollution during quarantines and lockdowns in Italy and China.
In parts of California, residents have already begun to comment on how clean the air has been in the last few days, though air quality officials said it remains unclear if this is due mostly to recent rains and winds that flush out pollution, or the sudden drop-off in motor vehicle traffic.
If improved air quality becomes a widespread side effect of the outbreak, it could be a boon during a trying time, bringing health benefits just when people need them most to fight off respiratory infection.
How big of a health problem is dirty air?
Globally, air pollution is the greatest environmental health threat, killing 7 million people each year, according to the World Health Organization. The primary mechanism of harm are fine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and cause illnesses such as stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory infections including pneumonia.
Most of those deaths occur in developing countries in Asia and Africa where pollution levels remain dangerously high.
But thousands of Americans still die from polluted air each year, despite big improvements in air quality compared to decades ago. In the U.S., the health damage remains worst in California, with its large population exposed to the nation’s highest smog levels.
Experts note a big overlap between the populations most vulnerable during the coronavirus outbreak and those most harmed by dirty air. Unfortunately, that means some of the same underlying health problems that make people more vulnerable to air pollution, such as asthma, heart and lung disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, also appear to be risk factors for the coronavirus.
What about smoking?
Preliminary research on the novel coronavirus outbreak in China suggests that smokers are more susceptible to infection. Men, who smoke at higher rates than women in that country, were more likely to die from the virus, scientists found.
“If you don’t have good reason to stop smoking already, this is a good reason,” Bernstein said. While a definitive link has not been established yet for the coronavirus, he said, smoking has increased risk for most every other respiratory infection studied.
How else can I lower my risk from pollution?
There are other steps you can take to improve your air quality, especially inside your home, where you are likely spending a lot of time during widespread closures and social distancing.
“Make sure that the air filter on your HVAC system is clean,” Bernstein said. High-efficiency air filters -- those rated 13 or higher on the 16-point MERV scale -- can help remove particles that could inflame your lungs and weaken their defenses.
Don’t have a central air system? Consider using a standalone air-cleaning device, which helps reduce particle pollution levels in individual rooms within your home. Make sure the model you choose is certified by California regulators.
You can also reduce air pollution inside your home by venting your kitchen stove to the outside, if possible.
“If people have gas cooktops in their homes and they have a vent, make sure to use it,” Bernstein said. “You want to do anything you can now to make your indoor air as good as possible.”


latimes--2020-03-21--Synagogues are closed, but L.A.'s Jews find unity during coronavirus crisis

Eli Moji fidgeted as he thought about the last message that had been posted to the WhatsApp group .
A Holocaust survivor who couldn ’ t leave her home needed a delivery in Beverly Hills .
There were more than 100 people in the group , but for 30 minutes , her post had remained unanswered .
Moji , 26 , was already doing grocery shopping for two other seniors Thursday night .
Nevertheless , as he waited in line outside a Trader Joe ’ s in Fairfax , he scanned his phone contacts and began making calls .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hung up , he saw that someone else had responded to the message .
As the coronavirus continues to restrict daily life , neighborhoods and communities of faith are grappling with how they can help those in need .
In the Jewish community of Los Angeles , where synagogues are closed and communal prayer has moved to online platforms such as Zoom , individuals are finding ways to be of service .
They ’ ve formed networks to deliver food to the elderly and home-bound , support struggling kosher businesses , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jewish traditions .
Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky of B ’ nai David-Judea Congregation in Pico-Robertson has received many questions on how people can help others during the crisis , which he considers “ remarkable and not remarkable all at the same time.
” “ The obligation to look after the needs of others and not just one ’ s own needs is a constant , ” he said .
“ These are things that are true on the most ordinary Tuesday and things that are true in the same measure right now… It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the grounds that ‘ I ’ m too anxious or depressed or upset.
’ ” For sisters Kayla Newman , 19 , and Leeat Hatzav , 20 , that sense of responsibility meant creating Shopping Helpers L.A. , the WhatsApp group used by Moji and others to deliver supplies to people who are uncomfortable going shopping because they may be sick or more vulnerable to adverse effects of the virus .
“ We thought , why not ?
There are so many young people , older people are always just helping us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help them , ” said Newman , a college student in Pico-Robertson .
Once the sisters receive a request , they send a message to the group .
A volunteer can then claim it and work out a method of reimbursement with the person seeking help .
One volunteer , Miriam Tyner , a digital marketer and 34-year-old mother of two in Hancock Park , had been looking for ways to help seniors when she heard about the group on social media .
She had already connected with one elderly woman she knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not be appropriate to go door to door searching for others needing assistance .
“ I didn ’ t want to knock on people ’ s doors , scare them and have them think I ’ m a scammer , ” she said .
Through the WhatsApp group , she ’ s quietly dropped off groceries at the homes of three women .
She ’ s had no close physical contact with any of them .
“ If you want God to give you good , you have to do good for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moji , a resident of La Brea , began volunteering partly because he felt bad for profiting off the pandemic .
After the city on Sunday night ordered gyms to close , Moji began receiving a rush of orders for the kettle bells that he sells online throughout the year .
“ I ’ m making money because of corona , ” he said .
“ If I could give back , it would be very nice.
” But his first call Tuesday night wasn ’ t easy .
It took trips to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his sister to locate all the items requested by a woman who wanted kosher food for Passover .
Meanwhile , others have been working to help kosher restaurants and caterers survive the closure of their dining halls .
Beverlywood resident Ronit Dahan-Edry said that after growing anxious from staying home for a week to protect herself from the virus , she decided to put her degree in emergency management to use .
On Sunday , she created a Facebook group to urge the community to order takeout at kosher businesses and support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants to create videos to assure the public that staff members are using gloves , hand sanitizers and masks .
Many businesses have had to cancel their Passover catering at hotels and other venues — events that are often booked a year in advance .
They ’ re now preparing Passover takeout meals that people can freeze or order just before the April holiday , she said .
Dahan-Edry has been working to help the businesses as early as 6 a.m. and keeps her phone close by during the day so she can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about where to get food .
In between , she checks on her children and tries to clean for Passover .
“ This is my personal therapy .
I ’ m doing chesed to take my mind off of this uncertainty and worries , ” she said , using the Hebrew word for goodness .
The efforts have been paying off , said Nir Weinblut , owner of La Gondola , a kosher fine-dining restaurant and catering service in Beverly Hills .
He said he ’ s begun to see more support from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also been helping one another with deliveries .
“ We ’ re all in this together at the end of the day , ” he said .
“ If we don ’ t help each other now , when are we going to help each other out ?
” With synagogues closed , rabbinic leaders have organized prayer and learning sessions online so that people don ’ t lose their sense of community .
A letter signed by 21 rabbis has instructed congregants to pray at home and prohibited house or backyard prayer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mourning should be made by phone or FaceTime , the letter said .
B ’ nai David-Judea Congregation has been holding daily check-ins on Zoom to help people to process the public health crisis .
With family Passover meals canceled , many are anxious about being alone during the holiday .
On Sunday , Rabbi Kanefsky will be teaching an online class to orient people who will have to prepare Passover by themselves for the first time .
“ Community is so central to our lifestyle and our belief system , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a small synagogue in Pico-Robertson , who has been checking on all his members .
“ There ’ s a recognition of how difficult it is to lose community and how painful it is and how it ’ s important to find ways of making community .
I ’ m hearing a lot of people talk about how connected we are from all this.
” In Trader Joe ’ s on Thursday night , Moji spent an hour adding frozen mango , calcium tablets , lavender hand soap and other items to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He then drove to the first location at an apartment building in Pico-Robertson .
An elderly man wearing a mask opened the door of the complex as Moji lugged two shopping bags and a large pack of mineral water inside .
As the man walked away , Moji shook his head .
“ That man should not be going out , ” he said .
He dropped the bags outside a unit where a check and a cash tip were tucked under the doormat .
He left the bill there , and as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her 70s opened the door .
A cat circled her legs .
“ Thank you , ” she said , while Moji carefully stayed a few feet away .
With a quick nod and a smile , he headed to his next delivery .

Eli Moji shops for groceries to deliver to senior citizens in Los Angeles as the coronavirus spreads. Moji, 26, is participating in Shopping Helpers L.A., a WhatsApp group that connects volunteers to people who cannot leave their home during the public health crisis.
Eli Moji fidgeted as he thought about the last message that had been posted to the WhatsApp group. A Holocaust survivor who couldn’t leave her home needed a delivery in Beverly Hills. There were more than 100 people in the group, but for 30 minutes, her post had remained unanswered.
Moji, 26, was already doing grocery shopping for two other seniors Thursday night. Nevertheless, as he waited in line outside a Trader Joe’s in Fairfax, he scanned his phone contacts and began making calls. He found a taker, but right after he hung up, he saw that someone else had responded to the message.
“My brother got it,” said Moji, relieved.
As the coronavirus continues to restrict daily life, neighborhoods and communities of faith are grappling with how they can help those in need. In the Jewish community of Los Angeles, where synagogues are closed and communal prayer has moved to online platforms such as Zoom, individuals are finding ways to be of service. They’ve formed networks to deliver food to the elderly and home-bound, support struggling kosher businesses, and help those worried about how to maintain Jewish traditions.
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Eli Moji loads the elevator before delivering groceries to an elderly resident at an apartment building in Pico-Robertson. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky of B’nai David-Judea Congregation in Pico-Robertson has received many questions on how people can help others during the crisis, which he considers “remarkable and not remarkable all at the same time.”
“The obligation to look after the needs of others and not just one’s own needs is a constant,” he said. “These are things that are true on the most ordinary Tuesday and things that are true in the same measure right now… It’s consistency and not morally excusing ourselves on the grounds that ‘I’m too anxious or depressed or upset.’”
For sisters Kayla Newman, 19, and Leeat Hatzav, 20, that sense of responsibility meant creating Shopping Helpers L.A., the WhatsApp group used by Moji and others to deliver supplies to people who are uncomfortable going shopping because they may be sick or more vulnerable to adverse effects of the virus.
“We thought, why not? There are so many young people, older people are always just helping us, it’s our time to help them,” said Newman, a college student in Pico-Robertson.
Once the sisters receive a request, they send a message to the group. A volunteer can then claim it and work out a method of reimbursement with the person seeking help.
Waiting in line outside a Trader Joe’s in Fairfax, Eli Moji makes several calls to try to find someone who can deliver groceries to a Holocaust survivor who can’t leave her apartment. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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One volunteer, Miriam Tyner, a digital marketer and 34-year-old mother of two in Hancock Park, had been looking for ways to help seniors when she heard about the group on social media. She had already connected with one elderly woman she knew in her neighborhood but had thought it would not be appropriate to go door to door searching for others needing assistance.
“I didn’t want to knock on people’s doors, scare them and have them think I’m a scammer,” she said.
Through the WhatsApp group, she’s quietly dropped off groceries at the homes of three women. She’s had no close physical contact with any of them.
“If you want God to give you good, you have to do good for other people,” she said.
Moji, a resident of La Brea, began volunteering partly because he felt bad for profiting off the pandemic. After the city on Sunday night ordered gyms to close, Moji began receiving a rush of orders for the kettle bells that he sells online throughout the year.
Eli Moji reaches the apartment unit of an elderly resident in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
“I’m making money because of corona,” he said. “If I could give back, it would be very nice.”
But his first call Tuesday night wasn’t easy. It took trips to various markets by him, his mother and his sister to locate all the items requested by a woman who wanted kosher food for Passover.
Meanwhile, others have been working to help kosher restaurants and caterers survive the closure of their dining halls. Beverlywood resident Ronit Dahan-Edry said that after growing anxious from staying home for a week to protect herself from the virus, she decided to put her degree in emergency management to use.
On Sunday, she created a Facebook group to urge the community to order takeout at kosher businesses and support event planners. She’s encouraged restaurants to create videos to assure the public that staff members are using gloves, hand sanitizers and masks.
Many businesses have had to cancel their Passover catering at hotels and other venues — events that are often booked a year in advance. They’re now preparing Passover takeout meals that people can freeze or order just before the April holiday, she said.
Dahan-Edry has been working to help the businesses as early as 6 a.m. and keeps her phone close by during the day so she can immediately respond to questions from community members about where to get food. In between, she checks on her children and tries to clean for Passover.
“This is my personal therapy. I’m doing chesed to take my mind off of this uncertainty and worries,” she said, using the Hebrew word for goodness.
Nir Weinblut, who owns La Gondola in Beverly Hills, can provide only takeout orders, so he and neighboring restaurants are helping one another with deliveries, he says. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The efforts have been paying off, said Nir Weinblut, owner of La Gondola, a kosher fine-dining restaurant and catering service in Beverly Hills. He said he’s begun to see more support from the community and that neighboring restaurants have also been helping one another with deliveries.
“We’re all in this together at the end of the day,” he said. “If we don’t help each other now, when are we going to help each other out?”
With synagogues closed, rabbinic leaders have organized prayer and learning sessions online so that people don’t lose their sense of community. A letter signed by 21 rabbis has instructed congregants to pray at home and prohibited house or backyard prayer services. Ritual shiva visits to families in mourning should be made by phone or FaceTime, the letter said.
B’nai David-Judea Congregation has been holding daily check-ins on Zoom to help people to process the public health crisis. With family Passover meals canceled, many are anxious about being alone during the holiday. On Sunday, Rabbi Kanefsky will be teaching an online class to orient people who will have to prepare Passover by themselves for the first time.
“Community is so central to our lifestyle and our belief system,” said Rabbi Jason Weiner of Knesset Israel, a small synagogue in Pico-Robertson, who has been checking on all his members. “There’s a recognition of how difficult it is to lose community and how painful it is and how it’s important to find ways of making community. I’m hearing a lot of people talk about how connected we are from all this.”
In Trader Joe’s on Thursday night, Moji spent an hour adding frozen mango, calcium tablets, lavender hand soap and other items to a cart for his two drop-offs. He then drove to the first location at an apartment building in Pico-Robertson.
An elderly man wearing a mask opened the door of the complex as Moji lugged two shopping bags and a large pack of mineral water inside. As the man walked away, Moji shook his head.
“That man should not be going out,” he said.
He dropped the bags outside a unit where a check and a cash tip were tucked under the doormat. He left the bill there, and as he was leaving, a woman in her 70s opened the door. A cat circled her legs.
“Thank you,” she said, while Moji carefully stayed a few feet away.
With a quick nod and a smile, he headed to his next delivery.