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Orange County Coronavirus

OC Coronavirus Trends Move In Right Direction, Supervisors to Bolster Food Distribution Efforts

JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

The Anaheim testing center on Aug. 12, 2020. School employees can get tested for the Coronavirus for free at various sites in Orange County.

By Spencer Custodio Spencer Custodio and Hosam Elattar | October 15, 2020
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Orange County officials say the county is moving in the right direction as coronavirus testing rates have started to drop, which could allow for more people inside businesses. 


Editor’s Note: As Orange County’s only nonprofit & nonpartisan newsroom, Voice of OC brings you the best, most comprehensive local Coronavirus news absolutely free. No ads, no paywalls. We need your help. Please, make a tax-deductible donation today to support your local news.


OC Supervisors also announced they will be taking action to boost food banks next week. 

“We’re trending in the right direction,” county CEO Frank Kim said at a Thursday news conference. 

County health officer Dr. Clayton Chau said the situation is getting better because residents are overwhelmingly complying with public health orders — like mandatory masks and limiting the number of people indoors at certain businesses.  

“I strongly believe that a majority, a large number of Orange County residents, are following, are complying [with public health orders],” Chau said. “That’s why we have the low number we have. That’s the proof.” 

Orange County is indeed in a much better place than it was in July, when cases were spiking and over 700 people were in hospitals at one point. 

The county has been in the Red Tier on the state’s four-tiered virus monitoring system since Sept. 8, which limits indoor business activity depending on what tier a county is in. 

That means churches, restaurants, movie theaters and gyms have to limit the number of people indoors. If OC moves into the Orange Tier in the coming weeks, bars can open for outside operations and bowling alleys could resume operations. 

Chau also credited the work done by the nonprofit Santa Ana-based Latino Health Access in lowering case rates in poor, working class neighborhoods in Anaheim and Santa Ana. 

One of the state’s metrics for moving into the Orange Tier is getting testing rates in those neighborhoods to less than 5.2 percent. 

As of Thursday, Chau said it was 5.8 percent — down from 6.5 percent Tuesday. 

Chau said officials will announce a new partnership Friday with a host of Asian American and Pacific Islander community groups to do similar community testing and education like Latino Health Access does. 

Since the pandemic began in March, the virus has killed 1,391 residents out of 56,436 confirmed cases, including 31 new deaths reported Thursday, according to the county Health Care Agency.

Chau said some of Thursday’s reported deaths stretch back to June. 

“I don’t know how and why that happened, but there is a delay in reporting deaths. Because it depends on where the person passed away,” Chau said. 

For context, Orange County has averaged around 20,000 deaths a year since 2016, according to state health data. According to those same statistics, the flu kills about 543 OC residents annually.   

Hospitalizations hold steady, with 164 people hospitalized, including 66 in intensive care units. 

Over 970,000 people have been tested throughout OC, which is home to roughly 3.2 million people. Some people, like medical workers, get tested numerous times. 

At Thursday’s news conference, county Supervisor Michelle Steel announced that board supervisors will vote next Tuesday to extend an agreement supporting local food banks through November.

If approved, Second Harvest Food Bank and Community Action Partnership of Orange County could receive an additional $3 million in Coronavirus relief funding. The county initially approved a $3 million agreement in May with the nonprofits two months after the pandemic started.

Steel’s announcement came within a day of the Voice of OC reporting on a food shortfall that food banks were expecting to hit next month as unemployment remains high and government aid is dwindling down.

Second Harvest Food Bank has operated off their own fundraising for months at the start of the pandemic before they got government aid. To prepare for the shortfall they’ve been buying food and raising money.

“We’re not through the woods yet. Bankruptcies, defaults – all of that is just starting to happen,” Second Harvest CEO Harald Herrmann said in an interview Wednesday before Thursday’s announcement.

Herrmann said prior to the pandemic unemployment was around 3% in the county. Second Harvest predicts unemployment will be around 14% by the end of the year and predicts that next year unemployment will be around 6-10%.

“It’s hard to predict. Hopefully the economy gets back on its feet and we start moving again. This is all about jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs and we’ve got to get people back to work. They’ve got to generate an income, so they can take care of themselves and their families,” he said

Herrmann said that the restaurant industry is predicting that 30% of their businesses will not survive the pandemic and that small family businesses are the ones most at risk. 

Here’s the latest on the virus numbers across Orange County from county data:

Spencer Custodio is a Voice of OC staff reporter. You can reach him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio

Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC Reporting Fellow. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.

How can I sign up for a vaccine?

For full details on the COVID-19 vaccine in Orange County view our Voice of OC vaccine page that is constantly updated and has links of where to register for an appointment: http://bit.ly/occovidvaccine.

What is COVID-19? Do I have it?

INFORMATION View the CDC website. View OC's website. View the latest OC case counts.

TRANSLATIONS See the county's guides in non-English languages. Learn key Coronavirus facts in Vietnamese and Spanish via VietRise. See VietRISE guides in Spanish and Vietnamese.

PROTECTION To limit exposure, the CDC recommends: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with others, cover your mouth and nose with a cloth mask when around others, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

SYMPTOMS The CDC identifies these key symptoms that can occur any time between 2 and 14 days after exposure: Fever or chills, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches,  headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea. If you suspect Coronavirus, CALL your primary medical provider.

EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS If you display any of the following emergency warning signs, seek immediate medical attention: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face.

RISK The CDC identifies people most at risk for serious illness: Older adults, and people who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

What is open?

RESIDENTS The County of Orange offers a list of notices and news on what guidance is given for families and persons.

SCHOOLS The latest information for the county is available from the Orange County Board of Education.

STATE GUIDE TO WHAT IS OPEN A full list of statewide guidelines for what is open and what is closed.

SOCIAL DISTANCING Staying away from other people is called "social distancing." The aim is to SLOW the spread of Coronavirus so as to not overwhelm the nation's health care systems and so that people in need can get help. The Washington Post explains: "The spread (of COVID-19) can be slowed, public health professionals say, if people practice "social distancing" by avoiding public spaces and generally limiting their movement."

What support is available?

STRESS & ANXIETY Stress and anxiety can be triggered by the situation and resources are available to help from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and from the American Psychology Association. Concern over this new virus can make children and families anxious, here are tips on talking with children about COVID-19.

MENTAL HEALTH The County of Orange offers a list of available mental health support services.

FIRST RESPONDERS The County of Orange offers these support services for first responders and health care workers.

BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS The County of Orange offers a list of up-to-date guidelines for business and faith-based/community organizations.

FOOD ASSISTANCE Voice of OC offers a weekly list of available food pantries in Orange County. You can also apply for food benefits over the phone through the CalFresh program at 800-281-9799 or online.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Buses and trains still offer service, but routes have been reduced so make sure to check your route ahead of time.

HOMELESSNESS The County of Orange offers a list of available shelter beds and other resources.

GENERAL FINANCIAL HELP Here are some services:

  •   • Find information on unemployment and disability benefits.
  •   • The Orange County Social Services Agency, despite closing its lobby, is processing online filings for assistance programs. This includes emergency cash assistance for immediate needs like rent or medical bills. The phone line has averaged a 30 minute wait time and offers a callback service, but people are encouraged to apply for benefits online.
  •   • Residents can apply for any of these programs by calling 800-281-9799.

RESTAURANT OWNERS & EMPLOYEES You can find a detailed list of resources available to restaurant owners and employees

How can I help?

VOLUNTEERING A statewide guide offers examples of ways to volunteer safely during Coronavirus. Options include, but are not limited to: donating plasma, making cloth face masks and supporting local food banks. Orange County's Second Harvest Food Bank lists support options online.

DONATIONS An Orange County Community Resilience Fund has been started through the OC Community Foundation to raise money for local nonprofits and volunteer organizations.

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