Some public schools will face closure because of COVID-19, governor says
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issues update on COVID-19
State updates guidance for schools, colleges, large events for COVID-19
– On Saturday, California officials issued updated guidance to schools, colleges and universities, event organizers and public health officials as they plan for further spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
“It’s a question of when – not if – some California public schools will face closure because of COVID-19. School districts must prepare for these scenarios so that parents and children can plan for what would happen if their local school faced closure,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. As of Sunday afternoon, Newsom confirmed 114 cases in the state. See New York Times updated map of the spread of the virus.
“It’s also not lost on anyone that these scenarios would put significant stress on families– especially those with the least financial resources. Already, we are seeing how this outbreak is having significant economic impact on families, workers, businesses and communities across California. The state of California is working around the clock to help shoulder the burden that Californians are facing during this crisis. We really are all in this together,” said Newsom.
“We understand Californians are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 and remind them that the best way to protect yourself and others is by washing your hands, covering your sneeze or cough, staying away from others who are sick, and staying home if you are sick. This new guidance is designed to help California improve preparation and prevention,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, Director of the California Department of Public Health and State Health Officer.
Today’s guidance follows guidance released yesterday to support elder care and congregate living facilities.
COVID-19 in California by the numbers:
- 114 – Positive cases
- 1 – Death
- 24 – Cases of positive tests related to federal repatriation flights
- 64 – Cases not related to repatriation flights
- 31 – Travel-related
- 19 – Person to person
- 10 – Community transmission
- 4 – Currently under investigation
- 10,250+ – Number of people self-monitoring who returned to the U.S. through SFO or LAX
- 49 – Number of local health jurisdictions involved in self-monitoring
- 15 – Labs with test kits
How people protect themselves
Every person has a role to play. So much of protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense:
- Washing hands with soap and water.
- Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
- Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
- Following guidance from public health officials.
What to do if you think you’re sick
Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and may have had contact with a person with COVID-19 or recently traveled to countries with apparent community spread, call your health care provider or local public health department first before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.
San Luis Obispo County’s urgent communicable disease line is (805) 781-4553.
State issues update On Grand Princess Cruise Ship
–The State of California has been working in partnership with the federal government to aid in the safe return of passengers from the Grand Princess, Gov. Newsom’s Office Emergency Services said in a statement Sunday. The entire mission is centered around protecting the health of the passengers, and ensuring that when the passengers disembark, the public health of the United States, the State of California, and partner communities are protected.
Together, the US government and the state asked the City of Oakland and the Port of Oakland to partner in this mission. The mission will be a joint federal and state effort, with local support. The federal government and its contractors are already preparing the site for disembarkment. As soon as Monday, the ship will begin disembarking passengers at the Port of Oakland. The ship will only be docked during the duration of the disembarkment.
These passengers will not be released into the general public. Passengers who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization will be transported to health care facilities in California. If passengers do not require acute medical care following health screenings, those who are California residents will go to a federally run isolation facility within California for testing and isolation, while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. The crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, but importantly, the ship will only stay in Port of Oakland for the duration of disembarkment. This ship will depart Oakland as soon as possible and will remain elsewhere for the duration of the crew’s quarantine.
Almost 1000 of the ship’s passengers are Californians. They have been through a great deal of stress and were potentially exposed to this virus through no fault of their own.
After careful review of all options, the Port of Oakland was selected as the best site for the ship to disembark. There are limited docks that will be able to dock a ship of that size, and the Port of Oakland location was the easiest to seal off, securely move passengers toward their isolation destinations and protect the safety of the public.
“The City of Oakland, Alameda County and the Port of Oakland are stepping up in a major way, and their residents deserve universal praise. They are showing the world what makes our state great – coming to the rescue of thousands of people trapped aboard this ship and helping tackle a national emergency,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
“Oakland’s role in this operation is to support our state and federal authorities as they conduct a critical public health mission to help those impacted by the COVID-19 virus,” said Mayor Libby Schaaf. “I appreciate Governor Newsom’s leadership and have been assured no one will be quarantined in Oakland, nor will any passengers be released into the general public. True to our community values, Oakland is a safe harbor for all.”
“The Port will provide assistance as necessary for the safe disembarkation of the passengers,” said Danny Wan, Director of the Port of Oakland. “There has been close coordination to assure that port operations, port workers and the community are not impacted.”
“The health of our Bay Area community is our top concern, and we’ve been working across federal and state agencies to protect it,” said Colleen Chawla, Alameda County Public Health Officer.
“With a thousand California residents on the ship, it only makes sense that we all work together to help those in this crisis and ensure that they are quarantined, tested and make their way home when it is safe to do so,” said Senator Nancy Skinner.
“California values mean protecting the public and helping those in a crisis. We’re doing both. We are committed to supporting our federal and local health officials to help our fellow Californians get tested and be healthy, and to prevent any exposure to the general public,” said Assemblymember Rob Bonta.
–State of California
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