Greetings!
I will try to update you on the COVID-19 pandemic as more information becomes available. As our most current directive states, please stay home! It is tempting to want to spend time in some lovely vacation area while you have all this time… but PLEASE do not visit now! We need everyone to abide by our Governor’s order to stay home – in your permanent residence – so that we can stem the tide of sickness in our communities.
When you travel to other areas, those communities become at-risk and are ill-prepared for a large outbreak – smaller hospitals, less physicians, and a lack of necessary medical supplies puts everyone at risk, including you and your family. Any kind of risky recreational activities – snowmobiling, back-country skiing, and other wilderness activities – can also place our law enforcement and first responders at unnecessary risk. STOP – THINK – STAY HOME – BE SAFE!
Together, we can get through this difficult time. The old saying never felt so true - it will take a village to make this right. Be safe, El Dorado County!
For more information about El Dorado County’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, please go to our website at:
https://www.edcgov.us/Government/hhsa/Pages/EDCCOVID-19-Cases.aspx
NEWS RELEASE 4/3/20
In response to the swell of non-fulltime residents traveling to Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams, today issued a no-travel Order to reduce the number of visitors and other non-fulltime residents in the basin.
“Visitors whom we enthusiastically welcome during normal times are further impacting an already decreased availability of essential supplies and food, and putting the entire Lake Tahoe population at greater risk of being able to receive proper health care,” Williams said.
“It’s time to take this very strong message to those who are not already residing in South Lake Tahoe: if you have no essential function and you are here, please go home; if you have no essential function and you are not here, please stay home."
A copy of the Order can be found HERE.
 Take Care Tahoe Uses Humor to Encourage Responsible Actions and Positivity Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Responsible recreation messages align with state and federal guidelines
Despite statewide “shelter-in-place” mandates and federal recommendations to stay home, outdoor destinations around the country are being impacted by heavy use as people attempt to get outside. Lake Tahoe area communities are asking people to stay close to home and follow social distancing guidelines while outdoors. In response to this request, the Tahoe Care Tahoe stewardship campaign is using its humorous approach to messaging to encourage responsible and positive actions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lighthearted messages like “It’s a beautiful day to stay in your neighborhood,” and “Let’s go big on caring for each other,” focus on staying positive. Other messages focus on the importance of social distancing outdoors, at parking lots and especially while out on trails.
“In light of the current situation, getting outside is important for mental and physical health. But as we know going outside can create safety issues. We hope this approach gets people’s attention and has an impact,” said Crew Stover, program and outreach coordinator at the Tahoe Fund, a Take Care Tahoe partner. “With direction from our federal and state agencies, these messages are not intended to promote outdoor recreation, but instead to educate and encourage responsible behavior. Now is not the time to go big.”
The updated messages like “No germs ... or anything else … left behind” blend Take Care Tahoe’s environmental reminder of Leave No Trace with the COVID-19 public health recommendations. It also addresses the decreased capacity of land managers to empty trash cans and maintain restrooms.
Take Care Tahoe is encouraging its more than 50 partners and land managers to use and share these messages through their social media channels, with a printable document for land managers to post at trailheads, gates and parking lots currently in development.
Learn more about Take Care Tahoe online at takecaretahoe.org or via Instagram @takecaretahoe.
Credit: Sara Floor, Communications Manager for CSAC
California is a doing a remarkable job of heeding the statewide “Stay at Home” directive to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). While these orders are temporary, for many they’re likely to have lasting impacts. To help, we’re counting down the top five ways to make the most of this situation, contribute to the public good and prepare for a brighter future.
5. File Your 2019 Taxes.
Yes, much of the state is shut down, but taxes are still due. However, due to Coronavirus, the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service and the State of California Franchise Tax Board have all extended the Federal and State income tax filing date from April 15 to July 15, 2020. While many companies provide fee-based tax preparation software online ( H&R Block, Intuit –makers of TurboTax), the IRS has options to prepare and file federal income tax returns for free (based on income) using tax-preparation-and-filing software. Learn more here. California income tax can be filed directly with the state for free here.
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4. Take Online Classes.
While many County employees are still hard at work providing essential services in our communities, spouses or loved ones who find themselves at home with extra time on their hands may consider a wide variety of learning opportunities.
edX.org offers 2,500 online courses, many of them free, from Harvard, MIT and 140 leading institutions worldwide.
Coursera.org is a similar, fee-based online learning platform that also offers some free courses. Use the extra time to gain new skills and earn a certificate of completion.
3. Volunteer or Donate in Your Community.
In the past week, Governor Gavin Newsom has announced several new community-based campaigns to connect Californians in their communities. “Stay Home. Save Lives. Check In.” is a new campaign that urges Californians to check in on vulnerable neighbors with a call, text or a physically-distanced door knock. Find more ways to safely check in at the Neighbor-to-Neighbor campaign, from the Governor’s California Volunteers site,
CaliforniaVolunteers.ca.gov.
Delivering meals with Meals on Wheels and volunteering at local food banks are among the top volunteer opportunities suggested on the California Volunteers website. With more than a million Californians filing for unemployment in March due to Coronavirus-related shutdowns, food insecurity is a real concern. Considered essential services, most food banks are open but short of volunteers. Area food banks are in close communication with local Public Health Departments and the CDC to implement COVID-19 safety measures and physical distancing. Taking the time to sign up for a volunteer shift at your local food bank, or providing financial support is a great way to make a difference in your community. Find a food bank near you at CAFoodBanks.org.
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2. Enroll in Covered California.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Covered California has reopened enrollment through the end of June. Individuals who don’t have insurance, or have lost coverage due to pandemic-related layoffs can enroll in California’s own healthcare subsidized exchange. Log on at CoveredCA.com, answer some questions and browse individual and family health plan options. A single application will also let you know if you qualify for coverage through Medi-Cal. Once you select a plan, coverage begins on the first day of the next month, important to prevent or reduce gaps in coverage. If you are eligible for Medi-Cal, coverage begins immediately.
1. Complete the 2020 Census.
Perhaps now, more than ever, we’re aware of how important it is that local communities plan for adequate public services, like medical clinics and hospital beds. The 2020 Census will determine congressional representation and inform hundreds of billions in federal funding every year. The results will show where communities need new schools, new clinics, new roads, and more services for families, older adults, and children.
The results will also inform how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding are allocated to more than 100 programs, including Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental health services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as CalFresh in California.
The 2020 Census is an important planning and funding tool that you can quickly and easily complete online during the COVID-19 crisis. Visit My2020Census.gov to make sure everyone in your household counts! Plus, completing the census online before May 7 means less follow up and potential exposure risk for Census employees.
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El Dorado County Animal Services continues to provide essential services for residents during the COVID-19 response. “Governor Newsom’s executive orders include Animal Control Officers and shelter staff as part of the essential workforce to ensure the health and safety of residents and animals,” said Henry Brzezinski, Chief of El Dorado County Animal Services. “Animal care facilities will continue to provide food, shelter, veterinary and/or necessary services for the animals in our care.”
According to Brzezinski, the County’s animal services shelters located in Diamond Springs and South Lake Tahoe are currently open by appointment, Monday through Saturday. Residents may call the shelter to schedule an appointment. Visitors are asked to adhere to social distancing when coming into the shelter; the shelter has hand washing facilities available. After setting up an appointment, visitors are required to complete paperwork prior to approaching the counter. Anyone who is sick, has had contact with a sick person or has any concerning symptoms is being asked to stay home.
The shelters will hold stray animals for an extended period of time to allow pet owners an opportunity to reclaim their pet. Appointments are also required to drop off a stray pet. Pictures of adoptable and stray animals can be found on the Animal Services website at: www.edcgov.us/animalservices.
Animal Services continues to provide field services, including rabies testing, quarantine for animals that have bitten people or been exposed to wildlife, animal neglect and cruelty investigations and any animals running at large.
"We want the public to know that we care about their safety and the animals they love,” said Brzezinski. “Many of our services are available online or by mail, and we do have staff who can answer questions over the phone. There is currently a license amnesty for an extra 30 day grace period for residents.”
For appointments, questions about adoptable or stray animals, licenses and/or field operation calls for service, contact Animal Services at (530) 621-5795 in Diamond Springs or (530) 573-7925 in South Lake Tahoe.
March 31, 2020
WHEREAS, a state of emergency has been declared by the State of California, local emergencies have been declared in El Dorado County and the Cities of Placerville and South Lake Tahoe, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-33-20, the ‘Stay-at-Home’ order on March 19, 2020 for the entire state of California with no set end date, and on March 29, 2020 President Trump extended national social-distancing guidance through April 30, 2020, all in response to the COVID-19 virus; and
WHEREAS, the El Dorado County Public Health Officer (Health Officer) issued a Directive on March 19, 2020 restricting activities within the County to extend through April 16, 2020; and
WHEREAS, in El Dorado County as well as throughout California and the nation, the numbers of cases of COVID-19 have been increasing daily, with El Dorado County having confirmed 15 cases in El Dorado County residents as of March 30, 2020; and
WHEREAS, there is insufficient critical healthcare infrastructure and resources, including hospital beds, ventilators, and workers to adequately treat mass numbers of patients concurrently as might be needed if the virus continues to spread at current rates; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the El Dorado County Health Officer extends the Directive previously issued on March 19, 2020 through April 30, 2020, unless extended, terminated, or modified by the Health Officer in writing.
Nancy Williams, MD, MPH
El Dorado County Public Health Officer
 The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocated $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn. Known as the Paycheck Protection Program, the initiative provides 100% federally guaranteed loans to small businesses.
Importantly, these loans may be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payrolls during the crisis or restore their payrolls afterward.
The administration soon will release more details including the list of lenders offering loans under the program. In the meantime, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has issued this guide to help small businesses and self-employed individuals prepare to file for a loan.
Click HERE to read the full document.
The Community Planning Workgroups will be producing weekly reports to keep all stakeholders up to date and informed of the incredible work our community is doing to band together and come up with collaborative solutions during this crisis.
Weekly Status Reports can be viewed HERE.
Please see the latest Community Advisory from Barton Health, in ENGLISH and SPANISH.
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