Governor Gavin Newsom held his daily briefing to provide an update on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He announced Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals for Older Californians, a “first-in-the-nation” program to let local governments and restaurants provide three meals a day for older and at-risk adults who are unable to access food while staying at home. Newsom said that this program will be a partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who will be covering 75 percent of the costs associated with the program. The state will cover 75 percent of the remaining 25 percent, with locals covering the rest. However, Newsom suggested meals for seniors could provide an economic boost. Specifically, he stated that this program can support local government because of the local sales taxes associated with these purchases. Covered costs are $16 for breakfast, $17 for lunch, up to $28 dinner. This program will also help support the hospitality industry and restaurant workers. Eligibility for the program will be based on a senior’s risk to exposure, income, health. Additional information can be found here.
Joined by the Director of the Department of Aging, Kim McCoy Wade, Newsom also said the state is significantly expanding wellness and outreach efforts. Specifically, they announced a statewide expansion of the “Friendship Line California” to ease isolation of older Californians. This will give them a number to call and talk to someone. The number is 1-888-670-1360. Also, the state is expanding wellness and outreach efforts to check-in on those folks who have been isolated. California has created a partnership with Sacramento State Gerontology students to help make this effort and United Airlines will assist by contributing its call centers.
Update on California’s service initiative, http://californiansforall.ca.gov , about 26,000 people have signed up to volunteer. Newsom said, “I hope others will continue to do the same.”
Consistent with past briefings, Newsom provided the latest COVID-19 hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) patient figures. He reported that the hospitalization rates were flat. However, the number of coronavirus patients in ICU beds increased by 1 percent from the previous day. Specifically, there are 3,344 hospitalization cases and 1,216 of those are ICU cases.
During the Q&A, Newsom disagreed with a question about AB 5 “killing” gig economy jobs.
In closing, the Governor stated that it is going to be nice out this weekend but he encouraged Californians to stay home, practice social distancing, and wear facial coverings when appropriate. He also express hope that next week California will start to see trendlines decreasing even more.
Following yesterday’s daily briefing, the Governor’s office issued a press release with additional details regarding the announcement that most private student loan servicers have agreed to provide payment and other relief to borrowers. The press release also included information regarding an Executive Order (EO) to stop debt collectors from garnishing COVID-19-related financial assistance. The text of the Governor’s EO can be found here and a copy can be found here. A copy of the Governor’s Office press release can be found here.
The Governor’s office also issued a press release on an EO which extends the deadlines for local educational agencies to submit Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP), which are multi-year planning documents tied to budget projections. By law, LCAPs must be developed in collaboration with parents, students, teachers, and community groups. The press release stated, “Given the COVID-19 pandemic, school leaders are appropriately focused on managing the immediate needs of their students and families.” The text of the Governor’s EO can be found here and a copy can be found here. A copy of the Governor’s Office press release can be found here.
Newsom’s office issued another press release regarding an EO that will give flexibility to the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and Medi-Cal providers on a variety of deadlines and requirements “to ensure continuity of service to patients and customers is not impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The text of the Governor’s EO can be found here and a copy can be found here. A copy of the Governor’s Office press release can be found here.
Newsom also signed an EO addressing a variety of issues in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the issues addressed in this order include Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) deadlines and specific matters related to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The EO also temporarily allows retailers, particularly grocery stores, to provide bags to consumers without charge, and to pause redemption of beverage containers in stores to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The order further temporarily suspends the requirement for recycling centers to hold a minimum number of hours of operation and directs the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to develop and issue operating guidelines. The text of the Governor’s EO can be found here and a copy can be found here. A copy of the Governor’s office press release can be found here.
With authority granted under EO N-54-20, the DMV announced it is waiving late fees and penalties for vehicle registration, extending expiring identification cards, temporary operating permits, and motor carrier permits. A copy of the DMV press release can be found here.
CalRecycle also issued additional information regarding EO N-54-20. The announcement stated, “While California has temporarily suspended enforcement of bottle and can takeback requirements, local retailers and recycling centers may determine whether or not to close or stop redeeming CRV during this time. Consumers are advised to call ahead before bringing CRV containers for redemption. While California has temporarily suspended the single-use carryout bag ban, Cal/OSHA issued guidance for the grocery industry. The safe handling of reusable bags and recyclable containers is addressed in the guidance.“ CalRecycle has also developed awebpage that has the latest information available on the impacts of COVID-19 on waste management and recycling.
Lastly, Newsom issued a statement following the passage of the federal interim emergency stimulus bill. A copy of the statement can be found here.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. There are now a total of 37,369 confirmed positive cases and 1,469 deaths in California. As of April 22nd, local health departments have reported 4,153 confirmed positive cases in health care workers. This includes on-the-job exposures, and other exposures, such as travel and close family contact. Also, as of April 22nd, more than 482,096 tests had been conducted in California. All results have been received and none are pending. More information regarding the most recent COVID-19 statistics can be found here.