[0:07] Ready? Ready? Ready? Ready? Ready? Ready? Ready? Good morning. Good morning. Mayor, council, Deputy Mayor's. This is a little non-traditional event we're having today. We're referring to as a virtual town hall. It's being posted on Channel 28. It's also on Facebook Live. It's non-traditional in a sense that it's very important for us to keep social distance as a community, but also to keep gatherings low to stop the spread of this virus. The community can participate in a couple of different ways. One is we have people looking through

[0:37] through the Facebook Live story to filter questions that may be pertinent to everybody in the

[0:41] community, as well as we're taking emails to Andrea, who's our city clerk and she'll

[0:47] be filtering those as well.

[0:48] Those will be coming in after the presentation.

[0:51] Just to brief update on what the city staff has been doing, we have opened the EOC and are

[0:55] fully operational as an EOC working on projects and programs to help mitigate some of the challenges

[1:00] that we're facing as a community.

[1:02] With this, at this point, I'm going to turn over to Rex Paris, our Mayor, our Rex Paris

[1:05] to communicate and talk about what we're doing in this message is going to be sending.

[1:09] Okay, so before you do that, for the people at all, can you tell what you'll see means?

[1:13] Yes, thank you.

[1:14] The AUC stands for Emergency Operations Center.

[1:16] It's a standardized process in which cities are all governments used in an effort to communicate

[1:21] and implement an emergency operation.

[1:23] The benefit of that system is that it's consistent nationwide.

[1:26] So when we communicate up to the county level, the county OES was the office of emergency

[1:31] services, there's a consistent message and a consistent theme of the way we operate.

[1:34] When they communicate to the state, there's a consistent theme in the way the state operates and manages its emergencies and the federal government as well.

[1:41] So in this process, once we establish the EOC, we create a direct line of communication with those other agencies that are deliver services that are beyond what we can do.

[1:57] We have Dr. Trong, who is the infectious disease specialist with Kaiser in the hospital, and

[2:07] we have Dr. Stock, who is the director of the emergency services at the AV hospital.

[2:11] They are also deputy mayors appointed by our mayor.

[2:15] Thank you.

[2:17] The purpose of today's Town Hall and everything we do for the next three months is going

[2:26] to do whatever is necessary so that no one in the city of Lancaster dies needlessly

[2:33] from this disease.

[2:35] As stark as that sounds, that's really what we're doing.

[2:38] There is no reason anyone needs to die from this if we do everything right.

[2:43] We are also concerned about businesses going out of business because of this.

[2:50] We do not think there is any reason why that has to happen.

[2:53] If we all work together in regards to solving this crisis as long as it lasts.

[3:00] And the purpose of the day is to tell you a little bit about how we intend to do that.

[3:07] We will be declaring what we are declaring as of now a state of emergency in the city of

[3:12] Now, you've been hearing that from various different government agencies.

[3:18] It seems to mean different things depending on who's saying it.

[3:21] Let me tell you what it means here.

[3:24] It means we will take whatever authority we need to take to guarantee that the people living

[3:30] in Lancaster do not die needlessly.

[3:35] What's needlessly?

[3:36] That means anybody dying from COVID-19.

[3:39] There is no reason why that has to happen, but we do have to be restrictive in many ways that we're not comfortable being.

[3:52] And I also want to be very clear about this.

[3:55] Do we know what we're doing?

[3:57] No.

[3:58] We never done this before.

[4:00] This is never faced any of us.

[4:03] It's been a hundred years since the United States has faced

[4:08] an emergent situation this severe,

[4:11] and that was the Spanish flu in 1916.

[4:15] I'm incredibly encouraged by what I'm seeing coming out

[4:19] of Washington and from our president.

[4:21] The regardless of your feelings about the president,

[4:25] he has never been this presidential.

[4:28] He is taking decisive action that is guaranteed

[4:31] to help the American public get through this.

[4:36] We have a whole team in the city working with Washington

[4:39] to make certain that as it as funds become available,

[4:45] we can transfer to businesses in the city of Lancaster.

[4:49] We are now researching whether or not we can compel employers

[4:53] to continue paying salaries if they close down during this crisis.

[4:59] You

[5:00] We don't know the answer to that. We should know by the end of the day. The reason we would do that is because it's much easier to get federal money for the employer and then not have to worry about the hundred employees because he's already paid them.

[5:17] Not the best circumstances, but that is what we're looking for. We want to ensure that the families in Lancaster have this little disruption as possible.

[5:29] for those amongst us who like to complain and criticize everybody when they're watching from afar.

[5:38] Please don't call me up and criticize anything until you're able to tell me that you actually went to the store for somebody over 65 and delivered groceries to them.

[5:48] That you actually took care of the children that are now without parental supervision because the schools have closed.

[5:55] Do not call and complain until you're able to tell us what specific action you've taken to help your neighbors because that is what it's going to take for us to get through this with as little scars as possible.

[6:11] We have to help each other. We have to love each other. The whole concept of this being a Christian community is now being called in action.

[6:20] We either love our neighbor or we don't, we either take care of them or we don't.

[6:26] Now is the time for you to take action at home.

[6:29] Now I think I've sufficiently gone off my notes and have staff can sufficiently concern

[6:34] that I'll go back to what the notes say.

[6:39] As of yesterday, there were 94 confirmed cases in Los Angeles County.

[6:44] What does that mean?

[6:45] That means if we do nothing, they will double every two days.

[6:49] Just sit down for a moment and do the math.

[6:52] By the end of the month, everybody's infected.

[6:55] That is why we're taking such an economy in measures now.

[6:59] We have to slow this down, and we will.

[7:04] Public Los Angeles County Public Health has issued directives closing the gyms, closing

[7:09] the restaurants.

[7:10] You can get food to go, but you cannot go in the restaurant and sit down.

[7:16] of what else did they close?

[7:20] All the others, I think.

[7:22] Public establishment.

[7:23] Okay, movie is the name of a hospital.

[7:25] I guess the easiest way to answer that question is if you're within six feet of somebody,

[7:29] they closed it.

[7:30] The hospital visits, no hospital visits, no hospital visits, no group home visits.

[7:36] The whole idea is to limit contagion for the next two weeks.

[7:41] Yes, it's uncomfortable.

[7:43] Yes, nobody wants to do it.

[7:46] But we don't have a lot of choices here.

[7:49] We will either do it, or people will die needlessly.

[7:54] This is not an exercise.

[7:56] This is the time everybody needs to step up.

[8:02] That being said, the city is going to take additional precautionary steps to limit the

[8:06] number of cases that will occur.

[8:09] There will be an emergency virtual council meeting tonight at 5 p.m.

[8:12] The resolutions we intend to pass include, but are not limited to the follow-up

[8:17] items. Now, what does that mean? That means no, you can't come to the Council meeting tonight

[8:22] if you're a regular attendor, because it would be more than ten people meeting if you

[8:27] did. Everything is going to be done virtually at least for the next two weeks.

[8:40] It's been suggested

[8:40] that I explained to you that the governor suspended the Brown Act, but I also recognized that 99

[8:45] percent of the people don't know what the Brown Act is. But for those of you who pay attention

[8:50] or that sort of thing, it's been suspended, that means meetings do not have to be public.

[9:00] The resolutions we intend to pass include, but are not limited to the following odd items.

[9:07] We proclaim the state of emergency, confirming the emergency regulations for public meetings

[9:12] to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, extending deadlines for non-essential city functions.

[9:18] That means if there's a deadline for you to pay your license, business license, something

[9:24] of that, it's suspended for the next 90 days.

[9:28] Limit in person meetings, no meetings with more than 10 people.

[9:34] Across the board, if you walk into a meeting and there's 10 people there, you are breaking

[9:39] the law.

[9:40] More importantly, you are endangering your families.

[9:45] All sporting events are canceled.

[9:50] Limited access to group homes, senior, center, independent living centers and hospitals.

[9:54] So let's talk about that for a minute, our loved ones who are an extended.

[10:00] Take care of the hospital or in a group home. This is very difficult for them. They're essentially being put in prison. Now, it's a nicer prison than what we see on television, but they are still confined. They are still limited and who they can see and talk to.

[10:19] Now's the time to use your social media, use your FaceTime, at least at the very least, use your phone, call these people you love once a day.

[10:28] They are going to suffer from extreme loneliness as the time goes on.

[10:34] Do what you can to help them.

[10:39] We are demanding that grocery stores set aside times for senior citizens to be able

[10:47] to shop.

[10:48] Anybody over 60 should limit any exposure as much as possible.

[10:55] We do not want them standing in line at the grocery store.

[10:58] So we've requested and we are now by ordinance tonight making it mandatory that that time be set aside

[11:07] You know, there's some real heroes in all of this and we we tend not to recognize them

[11:14] You're bus drivers your people at the checkstand checking, you know when you go to the store and check out your food

[11:21] People that have a lot of contact with other people

[11:28] They're still coming to work.

[11:29] They're still doing their job.

[11:32] They're heroes.

[11:34] Make no mistake.

[11:35] They are risking their lives.

[11:38] Nonetheless, they still go to work.

[11:40] They still deal with the public.

[11:43] Thank them when you see them.

[11:46] It is not a small thing they are doing.

[11:49] I also want to call out of a large of markets.

[11:52] They were the first ones that came in and said,

[11:55] 7-8 was a 78, 78 seniors get in, no one else unless you're a senior citizen or have a disability

[12:04] or if you're pregnant.

[12:07] They were the first ones.

[12:09] They didn't hesitate.

[12:11] They are great citizens of the city, and we should remember this as the crisis goes on, who's

[12:19] stepping up and who is not.

[12:28] There's a 90 day stay on the payment of any application fee, any business renewal, anything to do with the city.

[12:38] And we will pass an ordinance prohibiting landlords from evicting anybody during this time of crisis.

[12:46] Yes, I know that that creates all kinds of problems.

[12:50] It creates a situation where people who could pay their rent might not.

[12:54] Nonetheless, this is not the time to be putting people out on the street and we will prevent that from happening.

[13:06] If you're over 65, it is not just your own health that we're concerned about.

[13:13] If you get sick, you will consume enormous resources at the hospital.

[13:19] We have limited ICU beds.

[13:21] We have limited ventilators, we have, I guess, the best way to say that is everything is limited.

[13:30] You not only owe it to yourself and your family, you owe it to your community to do whatever is necessary not to get sick.

[13:38] In a moment, I'm going to turn it over to the doctors here, and they know a lot more about this than I do, and they will be able to help you with that.

[13:47] but make no mistake. This is a time where it's a patriotic act not to get sick. It's also

[13:58] important that do not overburden the healthcare system. If you don't need a doctor, don't go.

[14:06] I think they actually call them regular attenders or something like that. People that are constantly

[14:11] going to the emergency room, now is not the time to do that. If you go to the emergency room,

[14:19] understand you are walking into an area of infection. There's no good reason for you to be there

[14:25] unless you have to be there.

[14:32] We have about 10 employees now working on just getting federal

[14:39] subsidies and state subsidies into the hands of our citizens who need them.

[14:46] If you're suffering, if you're experiencing financial difficulties because of this crisis,

[14:54] because of having to close the restaurant call us.

[15:00] We should be able to help you within a day or two. We are working around the clock on making it so

[15:06] there's as little business disruption as possible. Also, if you have business disruption insurance

[15:13] and you've had to close because of this, file a claim. File a claim today, because there's going

[15:19] to be a line. There's going to be a queue. You want to get in there early.

[15:26] We encourage everyone

[15:27] to sign up for the email in the texts from the city.

[15:32] We will be sending them out as new developments occur.

[15:36] People have asked, do we have to follow

[15:39] the rules from LA County Public Health?

[15:42] The answer to that is yes.

[15:44] When they ordered the closing of restaurants,

[15:47] except for takeout food, that is mandatory.

[15:51] However, I want to very clear that this team is evaluating

[15:57] everything that comes out of the county. If we ever decide that our people are not being

[16:04] protected, we will appoint our own health officer and I guess it's probably going to be

[16:09] one of you too. And that will enable us to take control. Right now we see no reason to do that.

[16:17] I think I've covered it all. Who wants to start? The doctors.

[16:23] Dr. Stock sees patients initially in emergency room, and then he calls us and puts a patient

[16:29] upstairs.

[16:29] So, I'll let Dr. Stock first.

[16:31] You're an issue of evaluation of the patients.

[16:35] Good morning.

[16:37] The hospital, the MLO of the hospital, is starting to see an increased number of cases of people

[16:45] concerning for the COVID-19 virus.

[16:48] today, we have not tested anyone who's been positive, but there are tests that are

[16:53] pending right now. Yesterday, we saw what appears to be the beginning of an inflection

[17:00] point, which is coinciding with the doubling of cases, as the mayor said, over the weekend,

[17:07] the case in LA County went from 30 to 70, and now over 90. So with this in mind, we need

[17:16] really consider that we may be at the beginning of something very important.

[17:23] Even given instructions in the media and from this council about how to keep yourself safe,

[17:30] that's the first line of defense is within yourself and within your families, how to

[17:34] keep yourself healthy.

[17:37] The idea is to follow those basic messages which is to wash your hands frequently, don't

[17:43] face, stay away from sick people, keep social distancing of six feet, minimize your personal

[17:52] risks. After that, the idea is if you do get sick, the first thing is to consider calling

[18:00] your doctor not going into see the doctor. There's a lot of information and contact with medical

[18:05] providers through telemedicine now, through the phone, and it can reduce the risk by getting

[18:10] the information needed without actually coming in.

[18:13] The second one to the fence would be going to see your doctor, and who should come to

[18:18] the hospital are people that feel short of breath, because if people get sicker, we want

[18:23] to take care of you.

[18:24] If you're not short of breath and don't feel it's an emergency, don't come, there's a lot

[18:30] of care that can be done.

[18:31] Most people will ride out this illness if they get at home and be fine, but we do want to

[18:37] see those people that are sicker.

[18:40] We are starting to begin our testing through both public health and through the private sector

[18:46] lab testing and we have taken measures at the hospital to reorganize how we see people

[18:53] to make sure that we minimize the risk of both patients and family members and staff members.

[18:59] We are aware a personal protective equipment continuously in order to do that because it is

[19:04] important to keep our healthcare workers safe in order to take care of you folks.

[19:10] If you come, you may be seen first by someone at a checkpoint at the front door or if you come

[19:16] by ambulance at the back door and we're vetting people so we can get you to the right place

[19:20] to get the right level of care and the right level of information for you.

[19:24] And we are gearing up for whatever happens.

[19:28] Thank you.

[19:31] Thank you, Dr. Stark.

[19:34] When a patient's admitted to hospital, we get on in terms of the hospitalist infectious disease

[19:39] and pulmonologist when we are concerned about COVID-19.

[19:44] We do, we are seeing an increase in patients being admitted for more moderate respiratory

[19:50] illness.

[19:51] We're also seeing more over caution because a lot of the cases that

[20:00] I'm beginning to see it's because the clinician is more worried than he or she should be given

[20:07] the environment. That said, we are seeing everyone adjudicating everyone. One of our biggest concerns

[20:14] now is testing at both hospitals. LA County Department of Public Health is overwhelmed. They cannot

[20:23] help us very much. In fact, when we call on them for advice, really, they really can't help.

[20:34] It takes about five days now to get the results back. So now, patients are backing up in the

[20:39] hospitals and we're very concerned about throughput for us. At Palmdale's five days at AV

[20:46] hospital five to seven days, and that's our biggest bottleneck right now.

[20:55] As of yesterday, like the mayor said, 94 cases confirmed in LA County.

[21:01] We heard of one case in Lancaster, but it is not in any of our hospitals.

[21:06] It is not at AV hospitals at Pondo Regional, and it is not at our Kaiser facilities.

[21:12] So I believe it is someone that is not in our system that we know of immediately.

[21:20] Sometimes if you live in Lancaster and have a Lancaster zip code, but you admit it elsewhere, for example.

[21:27] At Cedar Sin and I were someplace, it may bounce back to us as a positive.

[21:31] So we're not sure.

[21:33] I've reached out to my colleagues and infectious disease in the community,

[21:37] And they all said they have not seen or have been consulted on to see a COVID-19 patient.

[21:45] So that's the latest on that.

[21:47] I want to add one more thing for our EMS colleagues and law enforcement colleagues.

[21:52] It's very important if you call for help that you be very upfront if you're concerned that you're sick.

[21:59] We need to protect all of our people that are out protecting us.

[22:03] So it goes for law enforcement and goes for the fire department, goes for the EMS agencies, if you call for an ambulance, don't be shy before they get anywhere near you, please tell them I'm worried, I'm short of breath, I'm coughing, I'm fever, so they can protect you and protect themselves. They're in close quarters with you, perhaps in the back of an ambulance, and we don't need our firemen and EMS providers getting the health, and we need to keep them healthy, so they can help the rest of us. So please communicate clearly as you can. Thank you.

[22:38] Okay. I would like can, uh, man, to talk to us a little bit about what's going on in the restaurants.

[22:46] Thank you, Mayor.

[22:49] Uh, as the mayor has already stated, we're allowing the continued operation of restaurants with restricted service.

[22:57] Those being of three types, one obviously would be for third party takeout.

[23:01] Yeah, the one for pickup.

[23:03] and then the third one for dry-through. One of the things that the mayor passed on is

[23:08] this is where the time of vigilance with leadership in each one of the restaurants to

[23:14] make sure that we're constantly hand-washing is taking place, the proper use of gloves.

[23:22] When somebody said, how did we get selected to be on restricted service? You have to realize

[23:27] that it's easily contacted through hand-to-food contact, so you might want to review your

[23:35] hand-washing procedures with each one of your staff members. I would recommend that you

[23:42] reinforce that breaking of that cycle, meaning that you might want to set a time frame where you

[23:49] request the staff to constantly go and wash their hands, follow the hand-washing procedures. And then

[23:56] Lastly, we want to make sure everybody understands this is where we put the public at risk.

[24:02] And as the mayor has explained, we will make sure that we do whatever is necessary to keep the public safe.

[24:10] So we find people, seating people and using the diorama. Obviously, we will take whatever necessary actions.

[24:19] If we need to close you, we will have to close you.

[24:22] And then lastly, I'm going to recommend that you need to think in terms of finally that

[24:30] business interruption insurance.

[24:33] Probably the easiest way for us to get financial aid from the federal government is going

[24:38] to be through the insurance companies.

[24:41] And I would do as the mayor's already instructed, reach out to your insurance carrier and file

[24:46] that claim now and get in line.

[24:49] because, ultimately, we don't know how long this will last, and I would recommend that you take

[24:54] these emergency steps today.

[24:58] Thank you, Mayor.

[25:01] And I'd like Marvin Chris to talk a little bit about public transportation and what precautions you should be taking in regards to that.

[25:12] Well, first of all, I want to thank the bus drivers for staying there and doing their job.

[25:19] What we're looking at is taking our buses, and if there's a 50 person capacity, we're limiting that to 50% of it, which it will be 25, and then we're giving more service to everybody.

[25:31] So there will be a continued bus service, the easiest thing for us to do would be to

[25:37] shut the buses down.

[25:39] But we have to protect the disadvantaged community also.

[25:42] We have to get them their medicine, their food, and all that.

[25:46] So that's the precautions that we're taking.

[25:49] We also hire additional people that will ride the buses.

[25:53] And those people ride the buses after each individual leaves will wash it down, will wash

[25:58] the bus will watch the compartment down that the individual and they're being sanitized deeply

[26:05] every evening.

[26:07] So we're doing everything that we can in the transportation area to make sure that they're

[26:13] sanitized and that the disadvantaged community can it, but we're stressing to everybody

[26:17] that if you can stay home, please stay home.

[26:23] Thank you.

[26:23] When you think of all the national emergencies we faced in the incredible sacrifices, people have had to make.

[26:32] We're asking you to sit on your couch. We can do that.

[26:38] May we also have a Tony Chief Randy Perry to talk about the fire department operations.

[26:43] It'll be up.

[26:45] Mayor, thank you, City Council. Thank you for having me here.

[26:48] I'm here on behalf of Thomas Sullivan, who unfortunately couldn't make it.

[26:51] Hold on a second. I want to make sure you're on the camera.

[26:54] Okay.

[26:54] I don't think that that location is, could you come to the shore, I'll come to the front.

[27:00] No,

[27:16] no, okay.

[27:18] This is my corner, no need to turn on your view.

[27:21] Thank you, Mayor.

[27:23] Thank you, City Council for having us.

[27:24] I'm here on behalf of a fire chief, Thomas Sullivan.

[27:27] Unfortunately, it couldn't be here today.

[27:29] I just wanted to talk about what we're doing with the COVID-19 response.

[27:34] You know, we are, the LA County Fire Department is Lancaster's Fire Department.

[27:38] and we serve with pride and we want to do everything we can do in our power to help the

[27:45] public. One of the things that the mayor said in the doctor said is that we're really

[27:50] concerned about what type of 911 calls are coming in. So we really want to implore the

[27:54] public public to really think about what you're calling for. If it's, if it's, if it's

[27:59] you've got a hurt knee, or if you just have flu-like symptoms, unless you really have a difficulty

[28:04] I'm really trying to refrain from calling 911.

[28:08] Try to ask a neighbor like the mayor said,

[28:09] you know, this is a time to step up,

[28:11] and so we could all participate in this crisis.

[28:14] Try to get a neighbor to take you to an urgent care.

[28:16] Don't necessarily go to the emergency room.

[28:19] Try to go through the urgent care.

[28:20] You just have mild flu-like symptoms.

[28:22] We're trying to stay at home and tough it out.

[28:25] And there's stuff online that can help you with that.

[28:27] With ibuprofen and stuff to relieve your fever.

[28:29] But try to keep the 911 system available for emergencies that we need to get to.

[28:37] Some of the things that we change our dispatch now has a little more intense tiered system.

[28:43] So we're asking a lot more questions.

[28:44] And they are those questions about do you have a fever or do you have a cough headache?

[28:50] So with that information, if we do get a call like that, you're going to see our folks show up a little bit different.

[28:54] they're going to be wearing, I brought some props here, they're going to have eye protection

[28:58] on, they're going to have a hospital gown, and they're going to have an N95 mask with the gloves

[29:05] that they normally wear. That's not normal for us, that's if you have flu-like symptoms,

[29:11] we're protecting our first responders for that, so they're there for you when you need them.

[29:16] One of the things they're going to do is if you do have a cough or you are exhibiting flu

[29:20] symptoms is going to come and it's no offense but they're going to come and put a surgical

[29:24] mask or a paper mask on you as the patient. So that's something different. We're also not

[29:30] all going into the house or the apartment. One person's going to go in and evaluate you and

[29:36] then ask somehow if you're able to come outside get you outside out of that enclosed environment.

[29:42] That's kind of some of the steps that we're doing. We are prepared for this. This is a evolving

[29:48] thing that we're trying to stay ahead of. I think that the collaboration between the city,

[29:53] the county, the doctors, the emergency room, and us, I think we'll get through this.

[30:06] Thank you.

[30:09] Thank you. Thank you, Mayor, from a staff perspective, we are complete. I just want to clarify that this

[30:15] is not a decision-making meeting. This is information purposes only. We will be having a council meeting at five

[30:23] tonight, where a lot of these decisions will be made. So, this is a town hall forum, an opportunity

[30:29] to engage. We did select a few questions that came off of online and we have those to the Mayor.

[30:34] I would be happy to answer any questions for the two who may request.

[30:40] Thank you.

[30:40] I want to ask the doctors.

[30:41] My wife came up with a, with I thought was a tremendous idea.

[30:45] She took cortisol cream, just a little dab, put it all over her face.

[30:50] She said, I didn't touch her face all day.

[30:53] And it sort of made sense to me because, you know, we touch her face because of a stimulus.

[30:58] The sensory stimulus.

[30:59] And this would dead in that stimulus.

[31:02] What do you think?

[31:08] I've never heard of that, but that's an interesting thought.

[31:12] If you really want to debt in the stimulus, usually Lidokane ointment, but that's more.

[31:17] But I think cortisol also reduces the ulcer can remove your keratin layer, so be careful

[31:26] with putting so much cortisol, especially the more potent ones on your face.

[31:31] I think that might be not a good idea.

[31:34] Yeah, well.

[31:35] Right, right.

[31:36] There's some risk to stories on the skin, can thin the skin, and as Jonathan said,

[31:43] and however, I think it's a difty mechanism that she thought of.

[31:46] I think the point I think that you're bringing up, which is true, is that we touch our faces more than we've been realized.

[31:53] You know, we probably touch normally touch our faces 50 times an hour,

[32:01] and

[32:01] You have to be incredibly disciplined and have situational awareness not to do that.

[32:07] I spent time in Liberia during the Ebola crisis, and it was absolutely essential that you didn't touch your face because you could die.

[32:16] So, in this case, we're giving similar types of messages, although Ebola has a much higher death rate than the principles are the same.

[32:25] Wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face and be aware that you may reach to do it.

[32:32] You can stop yourself.

[32:34] Thank you.

[32:35] Thank you.

[32:36] I've never wondered why when people come from a different country, the children very quickly speak unaccented English.

[32:46] But the adults continue to have an accent the rest of their life.

[32:49] Well, we know why that's the case.

[32:51] The reason is is because we'll tell children how to pronounce a word.

[32:55] we correct them. And our social structure is we do not do that with adults. The reason I'm

[33:02] telling you this story is because start telling each other. I just scratched my nose of the

[33:08] Marvin laughed at me. That's his way of telling me, stop touching your face, tell each other.

[33:15] This is critically important. You will not get this if you wash your hands and don't touch your face.

[33:21] I mean, but it's easier said than done.

[33:25] We're getting lots of questions coming in,

[33:28] so I think I'll pass them around as we go.

[33:32] Yeah, go ahead, what do you got?

[33:36] Can the Deputy Mayor's please explain to us

[33:39] the actual statistics, the reason why this is more lethal

[33:45] than a ordinary flu, what the percentages are,

[33:49] try to comfort the people at home, because with the invent of the internet, we have far more home-grown

[33:57] doctors and they're telling everybody the total opposite of what we're finding to be true.

[34:05] So can you explain to us the percentages, the wise, how ordinary flu is taken care of, and why this is different?

[34:18] So, the coronavirus has been around all this time, and it usually causes the common code.

[34:26] Fifty percent of the time it causes the common code.

[34:30] At any one time, fifty percent of Americans get it annually.

[34:34] And you can get it three to four times a year.

[34:37] We don't have immunity to it, so that's why we keep getting the infection.

[34:40] Over time, though, this coronavirus has evolved and has become more lethal.

[34:46] And not only does it infect the nose, the nose, the nose, the nose and the throat.

[34:50] Now it goes after the lung.

[34:52] So it attacks certain, particularly of the other cells in the lung.

[34:56] And causes the severe illness.

[35:00] And death, the mortality is higher than influenza, influenza in a bad year, the highest I've seen.

[35:07] The highest we've seen is 0.8% mortality. This one is at least out of China and Italy and other countries.

[35:17] It's quoting at between two to three percent mortality. So it is more, three times the four times more than influenza.

[35:25] In Korea, though, the mortality is less simply because they're able to test more.

[35:31] So when you test more, you have a larger denominator.

[35:34] So in Korea, the mortality rate is closer to the influenza 0.9.

[35:39] It's still higher than its severe flu season.

[35:44] What we are seeing also, at least out of a large study out of China, 72,134 patients,

[35:51] is that the mortality rate is very similar to influenza in people below 50.

[35:59] So below 50 it's .3 mortality.

[36:02] One should reach 60 years old or above about 60 is 3% of about 70 is 12% of 80 is 14%.

[36:11] So the data of skews against the the order population.

[36:16] out of Italy, 90 percent of deaths are patients of 80, 70, 80 years old, and Italy is going

[36:24] through a bad crisis.

[36:27] So in terms of lethality, this is a new virus.

[36:31] And why are we as worried if it's influenza, with influenza, we have easy diagnosis, it's

[36:36] a swab in the emergency room.

[36:38] We have a vaccine that works 60 percent of the time, and we have medications against influenza,

[36:44] both oral and IV. So when I'm very worried with this coronavirus, we don't have a vaccine,

[36:51] we don't have a test that's easy to do that can be a has a quick turnaround and we don't have

[36:56] treatment. So that's why it's a lot more scarier than the influenza, the severe influenza season.

[37:03] I don't know that answer your question. The other end of that stick is how contagious it is.

[37:09] So, yes, we salute the, for every person gets a two to four other people may also get it.

[37:16] So, it's sort of a combination when you take that has somewhat higher mortality rate.

[37:24] It's somewhat more contagious.

[37:25] And the third element that we didn't have during the 1916, 1818 period with the expansion for one,

[37:32] is that the social networking we have in the travel that we have today didn't exist back then.

[37:37] So the fact that people travel around the world every day,

[37:41] or at least did at the beginning of this.

[37:45] And there was a nice article that shows that people

[37:47] at the nexus of social networks are more likely

[37:49] to have it and then spread it to their social networks.

[37:52] And if you had a very, if you were out,

[37:56] you'd say in a place where you didn't interact with a lot of people

[37:58] that there was less of a chance of spread.

[38:01] So the way we move by transportation and by social networking

[38:05] is also a risk in that, is why social distancing is the intervention.

[38:13] Do you hear him?

[38:14] Yeah.

[38:16] I was recently talking with our vice mayor and he stated that how we have the highest

[38:20] per capita churches out in here.

[38:22] And many of us, a lot of the pastors have contacted me personally.

[38:27] A lot of them are not set up for a video.

[38:32] The average church in America is 50.

[38:33] So we were okay in the beginning, but now with the 10 coming down from us this afternoon, a lot of them are concerned.

[38:40] And financially, does another concern because while other entities may be able to get government funds, churches may not.

[38:47] So we're trying to see is there anything that we can do number one to help.

[38:52] The struggling churches that are that may still want to stream, but may not have the capacity to do it, and is there any type of,

[39:01] to be financial help that can come for churches here in the city.

[39:06] Let me give that to the city manager.

[39:09] Yeah, great question.

[39:10] Thank you.

[39:11] We are working and it should be open and operating today.

[39:14] A system not just for churches for everybody who needs to reach out to the public.

[39:17] And have either communication and or service or some other mechanism at Cedar Center.

[39:22] So it will be able to be streamed.

[39:24] It will be able to be recorded and to be able to deliver to their parishioners.

[39:27] So that is will be operational today is our hope so we're going to get that message out as it comes through it's part of the business continuity program we're implementing is trying to make sure that it those those folks have the opportunity to continue to communicate

[39:40] So we're working on that right now who don't have the technology available to them.

[39:43] So they'll be able to make an appointment some type of way as they hate we would like this hour or half an hour to do this this is for our stream and

[39:51] you can have. I'll cancel and share that with your prisoners.

[40:01] I think that's difficult when your vice mayor is a comedian too.

[40:07] There's lots of questions coming in regarding nail and hair salons.

[40:11] As of now, they're still open.

[40:13] We suggest that they be very careful in their hygiene and in their protocols.

[40:19] This is the time you wear the gloves, sort of speak, and we're going to be checking.

[40:24] as Ken Manset, we will enforce all of the health laws as if they're the most important

[40:33] laws we have because they are.

[40:38] The homeless, a lot of questions about the homeless.

[40:43] Obviously, this is a very difficult situation in regards to caring for the homeless.

[40:48] Fortunately, we've made a lot of progress.

[40:54] 40% to 50% of the homeless in Lancaster either had beds or very soon will have beds.

[41:01] That still leaves a significant number of people quite frankly out in the desert.

[41:07] We are working on that as soon as I have more answers, we will get them to you.

[41:16] There is some confusion about this rule about 10 people.

[41:20] It is groups of 10 coming together.

[41:24] Yes, we understand.

[41:25] There's going to be more than 10 people in the stores.

[41:27] There are more than 10 people on production lines.

[41:30] But what we're talking about is the unnecessary grouping of people

[41:34] in any type of meetings that are not essential.

[41:38] You know, we now have the technology.

[41:40] There's really no reason for any meetings that we don't do virtually.

[41:47] But is that an exposure, of course, it is?

[41:49] you know what what we're doing now is we're minimizing risks. We're not eliminating risks.

[41:59] Are we going to postpone the election? Well, you know, if it was up to us, who wouldn't have an election?

[42:07] But I understand some people might object to that.

[42:11] Quince it, Emily, this particular city election is vote by mail only so it really, there's no reason to change it.

[42:19] there's no reason it should be affected.

[42:22] We would suggest that you fill out your ballot and mail it in.

[42:26] It's somewhat of an experiment, is this a better way to do it.

[42:30] But this particular election, you have to get your city

[42:33] ballad in by April 14th.

[42:39] Are there enough testing kits?

[42:40] No, there's not, let's not mention words about that.

[42:45] I'm sure that if we were in a perfect world,

[42:48] Everybody you wanted to test, the doctors would be able to test, they're not able to do that.

[42:55] They are working on that and getting test kits to us.

[43:00] I was extremely impressed watching the President's press conference yesterday in that they have a vaccine in phase one trials.

[43:10] that is remarkably fast, that is cutting all of the bureaucracy and putting it in in phase

[43:18] one trials, which will tell us if it's toxic. After phase one trials, it could start actually

[43:25] become available under the current laws. I don't know that it will because it also requires

[43:31] the company that produces it to make it available.

[43:39] You know, family daycare is a problem.

[43:41] It's a problem across the board.

[43:43] A lot of daycare centers are shutting down.

[43:46] Schools have shut down.

[43:47] But this is really what I'm talking about

[43:49] is when neighbors stand up for each other.

[43:53] If you know a single mother with four kids or two kids,

[43:57] and imagine how the quandary she's in,

[44:02] all of a sudden the kids have been sent home.

[44:05] She has a job to keep her job to take care of the kids.

[44:09] If we come together now, if we check with each other, is there something I can do for you?

[44:16] Now's the time to help with those child care issues throughout the neighborhood.

[44:22] Unless you're over 60, if you're over 60, don't be taking on those responsibilities for the next 14 days.

[44:30] We want you to stay home.

[44:33] That is the best thing you can do for your community, is stay home.

[44:46] Notice how I just wet my fingertips, I mean, that's the worst thing I could do.

[44:59] Are we going up?

[45:00] Order of shelter in place, probably not. And the reason for that is I think it's impossible to enforce, and we're not going to be ordering things we can't enforce.

[45:10] When it comes to enforcement, though, I want to be very clear with this. Now is not the time to be a jerk. If you run into first responders, either fire or sheriff, do what you're told, be respectful.

[45:26] Those guys are out there all the time dealing with people that may or may not be sick.

[45:34] They are taking enormous risks.

[45:37] People's patients are being afraid.

[45:40] Don't you be the guy in the line at the store that starts yelling at the clerk.

[45:46] But you feel that you have to do that.

[45:48] Leave the line and take a walk.

[45:51] How big of a jerk you are right now says more about you than you can imagine.

[45:55] So we have a new rule. I just came up with it. We're going to enforce it. No jerks. It's the no jerk rule.

[46:05] I really hope that with an R city we set the example for the nation. This is how a city comes together and helps each other.

[46:14] I don't want to see churches going broke. So if you're a tie, they're continued to tie.

[46:20] They are under incredible pressures right now.

[46:25] Their entire way of funding the church has been disrupted.

[46:29] Within the city, we're trying to figure out a way to do bridge loans and how to use

[46:35] the federal government to help us with that.

[46:39] But like I said, we're not totally prepared in regards to those issues.

[46:45] But we do have people working almost around the clock on it.

[46:49] I'm not letting anybody work around the clock because if you're not sleeping, you are much more likely to get sick.

[46:59] There's a individual question, is why did the hospital turn away a sick child at 103.2 fever?

[47:07] And I know just who to ask for that one, if that occurred.

[47:12] So, nobody's ever turned away from a hospital.

[47:15] Not only would that be the wrong thing to do,

[47:20] ethically but it's against law.

[47:22] So, anybody who shows up will be seen and will be evaluated.

[47:26] Some people come and choose the leave against advice

[47:30] or leave without being seen and that does happen unfortunately.

[47:34] But no one has ever turned away.

[47:35] That being said, we're trying to give common sense of

[47:38] to people about self care, about calling, getting information, calling your doctor, and finding

[47:45] other ways to handle more minor problems, but if you're sick, and you're having difficulty

[47:50] breathing, we want you to come if you think you have or have an emergency.

[47:57] Thank you. Yes, right.

[47:59] I've extended lots of pedestrians. So I know we're going to close a dinane, but somebody asked

[48:06] if we need to, uh, short hours, or we're going to continue, uh, regular hours.

[48:13] Let me share with the best practices that's been shared within the industry.

[48:19] Most restaurants are operating either on a 7 a.m. to a 10 p.m.

[48:25] with those restricted hours. Um, so that's what's been suggested so far.

[48:31] Not that necessarily is that law.

[48:34] And then I still, like, last night I saw the taco truck was on 30th and L, so are we doing anything about that, those, especially for taco trucks?

[48:44] Those trucks are actually, you know, a preferred method of distributing food because they're not sitting down in sharing contagions.

[48:54] The thing I want to reiterate is we are sending out code enforcement people to inspect restaurants

[49:02] because all of those rules regarding healthy practices are going to be enforced.

[49:13] So if you run a restaurant, step back, make certain that you're complying with all those rules.

[49:19] It's essential at this time.

[49:21] Yeah, it's kind of, to the deputy mayor's, there's a lot of misconception about what type

[49:26] of mess, where we wear a mask, shouldn't we wear a mask, could you guys kind of elaborate

[49:30] on that, and what do you think is the best practices right now for this?

[49:35] So at the beginning of the outbreak, the CDC recommended that to prevent infection, you

[49:43] should wear an N95 mask, especially for care providers.

[49:47] But as time goes on, the WHO had already recommended that droplet precaution was enough.

[49:54] He didn't need to be airborne precaution.

[49:57] So as resources are doing the link.

[50:00] The CDC made a change and allowed us to use standard surgical masks to evaluate patients who are possible COVID-19.

[50:11] But in cases where we generate aerosolization during our evaluation, for example, giving a patient a nebulizer treatment,

[50:19] to debate them or do wrong cost to be. It's recommended that we wear an N95 mask in the full

[50:26] year instead. So if you're a coughing, please reduce your viral burden to others by wearing a mask

[50:37] and that helps a lot.

[50:40] Just to add to that, there's a misconception that for the general public,

[50:45] If you're not caught and you're not sick, you don't need to wear a mask, and in fact, there's

[50:51] a limitation on the number of masks in the country and on the planet.

[50:56] So like a lot of resources, we need to try and distribute them to the highest priority areas.

[51:04] So if you are, you know, wearing a mask to try and protect yourself and you're not sick,

[51:10] that may not be the best use of that mask.

[51:14] If you're sick and have to wear a mask, why aren't you at home?

[51:20] Sick people have to stay at home for what it's worth.

[51:27] That mask is not a license for you to go out in the public.

[51:31] Is what I'm attempting to convey there.

[51:35] The next question is, are entertainment venues with only a handful of people at any one time allowed to stay open?

[51:41] No, they're not, is Kensington at full capacity, you know, it's not completed yet, we're rushing

[51:49] it through, we're trying to get it completed, and Kensington will be able to take about 40%

[51:55] of the homeless population off the street, they have taken quite a bit already, but it's

[52:00] a work in progress.

[52:02] You know, as dire as all this sounds, we're actually in an incredibly good position in

[52:07] a lot of ways. I can't tell you how, I mean, it's just fantastic that Katherine Barters,

[52:15] the chair of the Board of Supervisors. She's our Board of Supervisors, our supervisor, and

[52:22] she's in her offices incredibly easy and to work with, and it's sort of like coming together

[52:30] because of that. This is something we're going to get through. And we're going to get through

[52:36] with the least amount of distress of anybody out there because we're going to be on it every

[52:43] second of the day making certain that we maintain flexibility and that we are able to

[52:50] help wherever we can. But again, how well the individual neighborhood does is going to be determined

[52:57] by how well the people are communicating with each other and helping each other. Really now is

[53:03] time to figure out what it means to be a great neighbor and be that person.

[53:14] Question is, are we working with Palmdale?

[53:18] Yes, we are.

[53:19] We're communicating the city managers stay in a constant contact with each other.

[53:25] But we are not cohesive in how the ordinances are being enforced.

[53:32] It is the position of your city council in Lancaster that we have hired our own people.

[53:37] We've got our own volunteers, we've got our deputy mayors, and we are relying on them.

[53:44] If the final decisions will be made in the city of Lancaster by the city of Lancaster.

[53:57] I may have already answered this, but lots of questions regarding sheltering in place and

[54:02] whether or not we're enforcing that.

[54:05] No, we're not enforcing it, but if you're over 65 and you're out at public, I hope somebody

[54:11] years at you because you shouldn't be.

[54:19] The places set up to give out food. Yes, they are

[54:22] regulated, they will be inspected.

[54:28] It's very difficult for people right now that are in

[54:31] the food service industry, because they're having to totally change their business model,

[54:35] and they have to change it overnight. So be patient with them. But at the same time, it's

[54:42] to upon us, to continue buying from them, otherwise, well, it's obvious what would happen.

[54:53] The Emergency Operations Center, we have people in there working on getting more test kits

[54:58] to the animal.

[55:01] The truth of it is, is we're going to have to wait our turn. They're making them a maximum of capacity. I anticipate that in about two weeks, that problem will be resolved.

[55:14] But

[55:19] this is for the doctors. There's some articles suggest common meds, like ibuprofen can aggravate COVID-19.

[55:27] to come in?

[55:31] I read about that. We're really not sure. A lot of it's common sense to reduce your

[55:36] fever with either ibuprofen or acetaminophen, which is the colonel, but we're doing not sure.

[55:45] That's okay. So what do you suggest? Continue today.

[55:48] If there's a question with ibuprofen products, perhaps we could switch to acetaminophen,

[55:55] which is a talent-off to reduce your fever for now.

[56:00] OK, good.

[56:00] Thank you.

[56:02] Is City Hall closed?

[56:04] We are not closing City Hall.

[56:06] That will be the last step.

[56:10] I think it's important that the center of government

[56:13] stay open.

[56:14] And we will take whatever precautions

[56:17] to make that as safe as possible.

[56:20] If you come in, you may see people wearing plastic face masks.

[56:24] We are going to protect our employees to the best of our ability, but we will remain open

[56:30] to the service the needs of the city.

[56:35] Churches are making their own decision about closing, but they are not having services.

[56:40] It would be, in fact, a crime for them to have services for the next 14 days.

[56:48] That's all I got.

[56:49] Are we getting more?

[56:54] I'd like to speak to just some common sense things.

[56:58] Many of you may feel that you're mildly sick.

[57:02] You may feel like you have a cold.

[57:05] And if some of you come to the hospital with mild symptoms,

[57:08] we're giving out information to those people about what to do when they go home.

[57:11] I'd like to give that information to everybody.

[57:14] So you're prepared what to do if you get symptoms.

[57:17] You're not sure about breath, but you feel well.

[57:21] The reasons to come to the hospital start with that.

[57:24] Shortness of breath, if you can't keep down fluids,

[57:28] if you feel dehydrated and can't drink,

[57:30] you feel confused or someone thinks you're confused

[57:33] or you think you have some other serious symptoms.

[57:36] If you're only mildly sick and you're staying home,

[57:39] you want to protect other people.

[57:42] So stay home when you're sick,

[57:44] separate yourself from other people and animals in your home.

[57:47] So pick one side of the house, especially if you have somebody in your home who's got a serious medical problem,

[57:52] someone who's, let's say, in your family, you might be on chemotherapy because they have cancer,

[57:56] somebody who's on special medicines because of an illness from a transplant or they may have

[58:02] some compromised immunity or you have somebody who's older in your house, somebody over the age of 60,

[58:08] is it high risk? Keep them in one side of the house and you in the other side of the house.

[58:13] cover your coughs and sneezes, avoid sharing personal household items,

[58:18] clean your hands often, and clean all high touch surfaces every day.

[58:23] So those are some common sense things to do, and as a mayor said,

[58:26] get plenty of sleep, eat well, and take care of yourself.

[58:30] Thank you.

[58:32] The last question is, how are we getting information out to the homeless?

[58:36] We're using the current agencies that are helping the homeless for that purpose.

[58:42] But we're going to have to do better than we are.

[58:46] But like I said, this is a work in progress.

[58:53] Hopefully, by the end of the week, we will anybody that means a bed will have one.

[58:58] I'm tracing any reason we can't do that.

[59:04] I know the county, the city, and lots of them working very closely to figure out ways to do that.

[59:08] There's, as it relates to the same messages we're giving to the citizens we're giving to the home,

[59:13] But if you're shelter in place, if you're in a location that you're safe and everything else

[59:16] don't move.

[59:18] But focusing on those vulnerable populations first is the priority, those that are 60 and

[59:21] over, and then making sure that obviously we don't spread and exacerbate the problem.

[59:25] But it is a balance that we're working on right now with the county and also.

[59:29] Thank you.

[59:30] Again, I want to remind everybody that all discomfort ends.

[59:34] This will end.

[59:36] We anticipate that it should be over by August.

[59:39] It could be wrong, but we don't think so.

[59:41] we think this will be over by August, and I've directed the city staff to prepare for

[59:47] the celebration in August for celebrating how well we got through this.

[59:52] I also think that this is going to be one of those things that when we look back in time

[59:56] on, it will have made us...

[1:00:00] This is a stronger, better community. But that's going to require us to work now in order to be able to say that when it's over.

[1:00:11] This is the time to love your neighbor. Figure out what you can do to help.

[1:00:17] And I think that the rewards are going to be greater than the detriment at the end.

[1:00:21] Thank you. We will give you periodic updates. Oh, and one last thing.

[1:00:28] All the other government agencies out there do not tell me something that you want me to keep

[1:00:33] secret from the community.

[1:00:35] When you tell me, I will tell the community, the policy of this city is to share information,

[1:00:41] the moment we have information.

[1:00:44] That's the way it's going to be, so don't tell me if you want to keep it a secret because

[1:00:49] I won't, and that's what the citizens of Lyon Castro should expect, it will be absolutely

[1:00:56] transparent and how we deal with this crisis.

[1:01:00] Thank you, work hard.

[1:01:02] We're going to need everybody working hard.

[1:01:05] Thank you.

03-17-20 City Council/Successor Agency/Financing/Power/Housing/ California Choice Energy Authority TOWN HALL MEETING Agenda

Agenda

Transcript