COVER
County hunkering down during pandemic
by Kimberly Rivers
kimberly@vcreporter.com
C
ounty officials have declared an emergency; most cities have done the same. Schools are closed and toilet paper shelves are bare. Social media is humming with information from the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and all manner of health experts. While aspects of this emergency may appear similar to the recent fires in the area, the nature of a pandemic is different. It really requires a faith and trust in our local officials in a unique way.
ARE WE PREPARED? At a Camarillo press conference in February, Dr. Robert Levin, health officer with Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) said that “all hospitals” were prepared to receive patients. Of the 1,292 hospital beds in Ventura County, only 80 of them are capable of properly quarantining patients being treated for COVID19, reported Ashley Bautista, public information officer for the county of Ventura. Called isolation or infectious disease beds, they ensure the patient with the virus does not infect the rest of the hospital. Special cleaning protocols also apply between patients in the rooms. “We anticipate more cases and increased community spread as more cases are reported in neighboring counties and throughout the state,” said Dr. Robert Levin, health officer with Ventura County Public Health. “Please do not call 911 to request testing for COVID-19 and please do not go to our emergency rooms unless you are seriously ill and require emergency care. If you have respiratory illness and want to know if you should be tested for COVID-19, it is best to call your health care provider or, if you don’t have a provider, call 2-1-1 for help finding a clinician near you. Our healthcare providers are prepared to see more cases, but we must all do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 in order to minimize strain on our healthcare system and other service providers,” “Although there is still no person to person transmission in our County, my first priority is to protect the public health of our residents by taking proactive measures,” said
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— March 19, 2020
Shelves completely emptied of toilet paper at Vons, 2764 E. Thompson Blvd. in Ventura. Levin in a written statement. “We encourage community members and organizations to do their part to help slow the spread of this virus. Our local healthcare system is well prepared to treat more cases should the need arise, particularly among vulnerable populations that require significant clinical care.” On March 15, Bautista stated in an email to the VCReporter, “drivethru testing is being conducted throughout the county.” Levin was unable to respond by press deadline to questions about whether 80 isolation beds were enough and whether the county would be able to prepare more beds for treatment if needed. Bautista said she didn’t have any information about federal resources coming to Ventura County, including the high-throughput tests and personnel mentioned at a weekend press conference at the White House.
COMMUNITY IMPACT While as of press deadline (Wed., March 18, 11 a.m.) there is just one confirmed case, and nine presumed positive (initial tests are positive and awaiting CDC confirmation) cases — all related to travel exposure — health officials, state and local leaders are following the protocols for stopping the spread of the virus by closing schools, and asking the public to self-isolate and practice social distancing, or staying a minimum of six feet away from others. Got toilet paper? You’ve seen it in national news and Ventura County is not immune to the empty shelves that toilet paper once occupied. Man-
agers of local stores emphasize that there are no actual shortages of anything, it’s just that people are buying much more than normal, and they can’t restock the shelves fast enough. On March 15, California Gov. Gavin Newsom strongly urged bars, wineries and nightclubs to close and for restaurants to cut their capacity in half. Local businesses are adapting to the situation. The Refill Shoppe (www.therefillshoppe.com ) in downtown Ventura is temporarily closing to the public, but is set up now to receive web and phone orders for “touchfree pickup,” or shipping directly to the customer.. Majestic Oak Vineyard (www. majesticoakvineyard.com ) has shut their tasting room but will be offering local deliveries and scheduled pick-ups. MadeWest Brewing (madewest.com) has closed both taprooms (in Ventura, on Donlon Street and the Ventura Pier) and is offering next-day, door-to-door delivery service, with ordering available online. The brewing company will also offer limited pickup hours. Some yoga teachers are offering videos online while therapy protocols are allowing video conferencingstyle online sessions. Most restaurants are equipped for take-out orders but not all of them offer delivery. Thus, some are adapting by using third-party delivery services (many were already available through GrubHub) while curbside pickup and drive-through options are becoming more popular. Fresh and Fabulous (www. myfreshandfabulous.com) in downtown Oxnard is providing drive-
through delivery to your car, and Otani’s (www.otanis-seafood.com) in Oxnard already has online ordering set up on its website. With a phone app you can schedule a pickup or delivery. Waterside (www.watersidechannelislands.com) at Channel Island Harbor states on its website that it is following all of the cleaning protocols and, “If you can’t come to us, we will come to you.” By March 23, a third-party delivery service will be set up for select menu items, including the weekend brunch menu on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. During select hours, curbside pickup will be available. Native Pizza (www.nativepizza. com) in midtown Ventura has gone to delivery only with no extra charge and online ordering is already set up. Ventura Sandwich Company (www.venturasandwichcompany. com) is feeding kids for free with a regular sandwich purchase and offering discounts to healthcare workers. A great way to support local businesses even if you can’t get to them now is to buy a gift certificate to be enjoyed when things get back to normal.
Corona virus graphic depiction.
OTHER CLOSURES The Saturday Marketplace at Ventura College — similar to a swap meet, with over 300 vendors selling everything from fresh produce to jewelry to tools — has also been cancelled for three weeks, beginning last weekend, to comply with the California Department of Public Health recommendations of cancelling all large events with over 250 people to help reduce the spread of the virus. “We know that the closure will impact many in the community who visit the Marketplace to shop for fresh produce and other items,” says Anne Paul King, executive director of the Ventura College Foundation, in a written statement. “The public has come to rely on the Marketplace for all their basic living items. For our vendors, the Marketplace is a major source of revenue.” Refunds will be provided to vendors who have already paid for booth space. Senior Concerns announced that it will be closing its adult day care facility through the end of March to adhere to the recommendations from VCPH regarding social
