Dear Residents,

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes continues to monitor the spread of the novel coronavirus in Los Angeles County and would like to share the following updates with the community:

The Latest

How well do masks work?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, wearing a mask is a cheap and easy way to help stop the spread of COVID-19. It’s also a sign that you want to help protect other people and have them protect you… that we’re all in this together. This video from PBS Digital Studios uses slow-motion schlieren imaging experiments to demonstrate why masks work: youtu.be/0Tp0zB904Mc

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (purple), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine Safe, Generates Immune Response

An investigational vaccine, mRNA-1273, designed to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was generally well tolerated and prompted neutralizing antibody activity in healthy adults, according to interim results published online this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. The ongoing Phase 1 trial is supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. The experimental vaccine is being co-developed by researchers at NIAID and at Moderna, Inc. of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Manufactured by Moderna, mRNA-1273 is designed to induce neutralizing antibodies directed at a portion of the coronavirus “spike” protein, which the virus uses to bind to and enter human cells.

The trial was led by Lisa A. Jackson, M.D., MPH, of Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle, where the first participant received the candidate vaccine on March 16. This interim report details the initial findings from the first 45 participants ages 18 to 55 years enrolled at the study sites in Seattle and at Emory University in Atlanta. Three groups of 15 participants received two intramuscular injections, 28 days apart, of either 25, 100 or 250 micrograms (mcg) of the investigational vaccine. All the participants received one injection; 42 received both scheduled injections.

Read more at bit.ly/30dz1G

CDC Calls on Americans to Wear Masks to Prevent COVID-19 Spread

Americans are increasingly adopting the use of cloth face masks to slow the spread of COVID-19, and the latest science may convince even more to do so.

In an editorial published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reviewed the latest science and affirms that cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when used universally within communities. There is increasing evidence that cloth face coverings help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.

This review included two case studies: one from JAMA, showing that adherence to universal masking policies reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission within a Boston hospital system; and one from CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), showing that wearing a mask prevented the spread of infection from two hair stylists to their customers in Missouri.

Read more at https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0714-americans-to-wear-masks.html

Gyms, Salons, Indoor Malls, Other Sectors Ordered Closed

As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise here and across California, the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order was modified July 14 to align with Governor Gavin Newsom’s directives to prevent more cases, more serious illnesses, increased hospitalizations and more deaths.

The order requires the closure of additional indoor operations for certain sectors which promote the mixing of populations beyond households and make adherence to physical distancing with face coverings difficult:

Gyms and fitness centers
Places of worship
Indoor protests
Offices for non-critical infrastructure sectors as identified at covid19.ca.gov
Personal care services (including nail salons, massage parlors, and tattoo parlors)
Hair salons and barbershops
Indoor malls

NEW Read the Safer at Work and in the Community Order (as revised July 14, 2020) (PDF)

Bars, indoor dining at restaurants, indoor museums, indoor operations at zoos and aquariums, and cardrooms and satellite wagering facilities remain closed in Los Angeles County, and all events and gatherings are prohibited unless specifically allowed by the order.

Questions about moving your business operations outdoors?

If your RPV business is impacted by COVID-19-related closures and you have questions about moving your operations outdoors, please contact the Community Development Department at 310-544-5228 or planning@rpvca.gov.

Check Your Hand Sanitizer

Some hand sanitizers that are made in Mexico have been found to contain methanol (wood alcohol). Methanol can cause serious health problems such as blindness, and even death.

If the manufacturer’s name is on this list, stop using it immediately:

4E Global, SAPI de CV
AAA Cosmetica
DDI Multinacional SA de CV
Eskbiochem SA de CV
Grupo Insoma, S.A.P.I de CV
Limpo Quimicos SA de CV
Liqesa Exportacion or Liq-E-S.A. de CV
Maquiladora Miniara, SA de CV
Mystic International SA de CV
Soluciones Cosmeticas SA de CV
Tropicosmeticos SA de CV

For the latest information, check the FDA’s Methanol Contaminated Products List. If your product is on this list, stop using it immediately. Double check all hand sanitizer.

More Hand Sanitizer Safety Tips:

Avoid products that say “FDA-approved” on the label – there are no hand sanitizers approved by the FDA.
Seek immediate medical attention if you have swallowed hand sanitizer or are experiencing symptoms after repeated use of these products on your skin and contact your poison center (1-800-222-1222) for advice.
Signs and symptoms of methanol poisoning include headache, blurred vision or blindness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of coordination, and decreased alertness.
Keep hand sanitizers out of the reach of children and supervise their use.
Do not swallow hand sanitizers
Only use alcohol-based hand sanitizers or rubs for their intended purpose – to clean hands.
For more information, see the FDA’s consumer warning letter which is available in English and Spanish.

PVP Chamber Weekly Business Series: Prognosis for Recovery

Tomorrow, July 16 at 1 p.m., tune in to the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce's Weekly Business Series featuring Barbara Levine of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation.

Dive deep into L.A.'s economic sectors and their prognosis for recovery, plus learn about LAEDC's resources for business. The session will last one hour and is limited to the first 100 registrants.

To register, visit bit.ly/3h3t3yu

Upcoming Google Webinar on Getting Your Local Business Online

Learn how to get your local business online by attending a Google-led webinar tomorrow, July 16 at 2 p.m. Get pointers on how to sell or deliver services online, advertise online, and be found on Google. This free event is being held in partnership with the L.A. County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services, small business mentorship nonprofit SCORE and the L.A. County America's Job Centers of California. Register to attend at bit.ly/GoogleCoachLA

Upcoming Reopening Webinar for Offices

The L.A. Small Business Development Center and the L.A. County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is hosting a free webinar this tomorrow, July 16 at 3 p.m. detailing reopening protocols and resources for office-based worksites. To register, visit: bit.ly/3iuAAY

Tomorrow is Takeout Thursday!

The community is encouraged to join in the “Takeout Tuesdays and Takeout Thursdays” initiative launched by the Peninsula cities and the PVP Chamber of Commerce by posting on social media and inviting friends and neighbors to order takeout, using Tuesdays and Thursdays as a special reminder.

Residents are asked to show their support by ordering takeout or delivery, not only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but on a regular basis throughout the coronavirus restrictions. Check the Open for Business page on the City website for a list of local restaurants offering takeout, delivery and curbside pickup.

Upcoming Local Blood Drive

Blood donations have decreased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthy, eligible donors are urged to come out and give to ensure there’s lifesaving blood on the shelves for those who need it.

The City of Palos Verdes Estates is holding a blood drive on Tuesday, July 28 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the PVE Police Station, 340 Palos Verdes Drive West in Palos Verdes Estates.

Appointments can be made online at ucedonor.com (click on “Blood Drives” and enter “City of Palos Verdes Estates” in the Account Name box), or by phone at 310-825-0888 X 2.

Cases

As of July 15, there are 143,009 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Los Angeles County (population 10.17 million), including the South Bay, so the public should not think one location is safer than another and everyone should be aware and practice physical distancing. The total includes 185 cases in Rancho Palos Verdes (population 41,731), 62 in Palos Verdes Estates (population 13,190), 30 in Rolling Hills Estates (population 8,066), four in Rolling Hills (population 1,874), and one in the unincorporated area of the Peninsula. Countywide, 3,932 people have died.

According to the Department of Public Health, 12 deaths have been reported in Rancho Palos Verdes. The City extends its deepest condolences to the families of these residents.

For a list of cases broken down by city, demographic characteristics, and settings, visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/locations.htm

For an interactive dashboard with maps and graphs showing testing, cases and death data by community, poverty level, age, sex and race/ethnicity visit: http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_surveillance_dashboard/

An interactive dashboard of COVID-19 cases in the South Bay maintained by the City of Torrance is available at bit.ly/2XB1fv1. The dashboard reflects information sourced by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about the novel coronavirus.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health: publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus
California Department of Public Health: cdph.ca.gov/covid19
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): cdc.gov/COVID19
World Health Organization: who.int/coronavirus
California Governor’s Office: covid19.ca.gov
County of Los Angeles: lacounty.gov/covid19
L.A. County residents can also call 2-1-1
FEMA Coronavirus Rumor Control: https://www.fema.gov/Coronavirus-Rumor-Control

Sign up for “Notify Me” city listervs at rpvca.gov/notify

Be sure to also follow the City on Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert SouthBay by:

Texting “alertsb” to 888-777, which returns a link to register for Everbridge (for COVID-19-related alerts, text the keyword "cv19rpv")
Registering online at alertsouthbay.com
Downloading the free Everbridge app on an iOS or Android device from the App Store or Google Play. Select “Find an organization or subscription” and search “alertsb”

Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert LA County at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/alert-la/