Biweekly Third District Update

Riverside County COVID-19 Update

Yesterday, Riverside County started offering Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots for eligible individuals. Riverside County residents 18 and over who received their Johnson & Johnson vaccination two months ago or more are eligible to receive a Johnson & Johnson booster vaccination. Riverside County residents 65 years old and older, and those at risk of a severe COVID-19 case, can now get the Moderna vaccine booster. For information on the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine boosters, please visit https://bit.ly/3CfPPOR. Information on the Pfizer vaccine booster can be found at the following link: https://bit.ly/3oeWfcO.

Riverside County’s COVID-19 case rate is trending downward but remains high enough for us to be considered a community of substantial transmission. As of Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, Riverside County’s case rate per 100,000 residents is 12.2, and our positivity rate is 4.3 percent.

Help keep our community and your family safe by getting your COVID-19 vaccine. The County of Riverside is vaccinating residents ages 12 and up.

To make an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, call 2-1-1 or visit www.ruhealth.org/covid-19-vaccine. You can also schedule an appointment at a Community Health Center by calling 800-945-6171. If you are unable to leave your home for medical reasons, you can be vaccinated from the comfort of your home by calling 833-422-4255 or visiting myturn.ca.gov. Vaccine clinics located in the Third District are listed in the first article below.

Daily updates on the county’s COVID-19 cases are posted at www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus and on Facebook at @countyriversidedepartmentofpublichealth and Twitter at @RivCoDoc. For state updates, visit www.cdph.ca.gov, and for national updates, visit www.cdc.gov.

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics in the Third District

In an effort to bring COVID-19 vaccines closer to residents, below is a list of local vaccination clinics located in the Third District. With the exception of the Temecula vaccination site, all of the vaccination clinics below are temporary locations only available for one day.

Temecula: COVID-19 vaccines are available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays at the Promenade Mall in Temecula (40820 Winchester Rd.). To register for an appointment, call 2-1-1 or use one of the links below:   

• Pfizer: https://tinyurl.com/yf2tva35
• Moderna: https://tinyurl.com/yufz4bx7

Hemet: COVID-19 vaccines are available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28 at the Hemet Workforce Development Center (749 N. State St..). To register for an appointment, call 2-1-1 or use one of the links below:  

• Pfizer: https://tinyurl.com/jchsezzu
• J&J: https://tinyurl.com/pxevbp4w

Hemet: COVID-19 vaccines are available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30 at Tahquitz High School (4425 Titan Trail). To register for an appointment, call 2-1-1 or use one of the links below:   

• Pfizer: https://tinyurl.com/ys6fmrkw
• J&J: https://tinyurl.com/dp9bvsxr

Hemet: COVID-19 vaccines are available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 2 at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church (780 S. State St.). To register for an appointment, call 2-1-1 or use the link below:   

• Pfizer: https://tinyurl.com/4mkua739

Nov. 1 is Deadline for Community to Submit Redistricting Maps

Community members, community groups and other stakeholders can submit their own draft district boundaries for the Riverside County Board of Supervisors until Nov. 1. Community feedback on the draft maps will be received until the final adoption of one map Dec. 7.

Input can be provided online at www.RivCo.org under Redistricting.  Residents can also provide in-person or virtual input during public hearings Nov. 9 and Nov. 16. The public hearings will be held during the regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings, which start at 9:30 a.m. and are located at County Administrative Center (4080 Lemon St. Riverside). The time of the redistricting public hearings are subject to the board agenda. The November public hearings will also be available live and on-demand at RivCoTV.org. 

This week, the Board of Supervisors determined during a public hearing to advance six draft maps for continued consideration, including three from the redistricting committee and three from the community. The board also directed staff to draw a seventh map based upon community feedback received at Tuesday’s public hearing. Additional maps may still be drawn and submitted through Nov. 1.

The county will also assess racially polarized voting patterns as an additional measure to further support compliance with the Voting Rights Act. Redistricting ensures fair and equal representation on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to account for changes in population and communities of interest that share common social and economic factors.

Commemorate Veterans Day in the Third District

Veterans Day is just around the corner, and the patriotic Third District is gearing up to celebrate and recognize our nation’s heroes. Below are just some of the local events planned for Veterans Day, all taking place Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021.

• Hemet: Join the City of Hemet for their Veterans Day Celebration at 10 a.m. at Gibbel Park (2350 W. Latham Ave.). The celebration will be followed by an honorary car show. For more information or to participate in the car show, contact Jackie Aboud at 909-352-0019 or JAboud@hemetca.gov. To purchase a flag, contact Mr. Koka of the Exchange Club at 562-805-5652 or LKoka@aol.com.
• Temecula: Join the City of Temecula for their “Patriotic Salute to Veterans” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Temecula Civic Center (41000 Main St.). This event will feature a military banner presentation and beautiful music from the Temecula Valley Symphony!
• Murrieta: Join the City of Murrieta for their 19^th Veterans Day Parade! The parade begins at 10 a.m. on the corner of Ivy St. and Washington Ave., turns on B St. and concludes at Town Square Park. The parade is free for spectators and $25 for those wishing to be in the parade (these funds will go toward the Murrieta Veterans Memorial). To register to be in the parade, visit tinyurl.com/veteranparade.

Scams Target Senior Population, Part 4

Taken from “CARE: When Trust is a Weapon,” by the County of Riverside Department of Public Social Services

As the population of older adults increase in Riverside County, we see more and more scammers trying to trick this population. This article is part four of a series on fraud that targets older adults. This week’s article focuses on Healthcare Scams.

Healthcare scams become common when healthcare is on the news and on consumers’ minds – for example, during the annual enrollment periods for ACA and Medicare. Scammers will try to convince you that they have simple solutions to the complex process of getting insured. Some feature the names and logos of major insurers or even AARP. The fraudsters promise full coverage with low premiums, deductibles and co-pays.

Unfortunately, the resulting policies turn out to be poor policies, or even worse, fake. Often, victims are misled into buying medical discount plans, in which consumers pay a monthly fee to get reduced prices from participating medical providers. While some of these programs are legitimate, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns they are not a substitute for insurance.

During ACA enrollment – which runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 — scammers impersonate representatives of the government-run Health Insurance Marketplace. They will ask for personal information to verify an application or claim that they can help you choose the right plan for a fee.

Some warning signs to keep in mind:

• High-pressure sales pitches that push low-cost plans or offer special rates if you sign up right away;
• Claims that a plan is licensed under ERISA, the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Insurance companies are licensed by states, NOT by federal bodies;
• Plans requiring you to join an “association” or “union.” These may be fake organizations designed to trick you into thinking you are buying group health insurance;
• Someone contacting you about health coverage claiming to be from the government. No government representative will ever try to sell you insurance;

When looking for health coverage, DO:

• Compare rates. Premiums for comprehensive coverage that are far lower than elsewhere are probably too good to be true;
• Confirm with your state insurance commissioner that a plan provider is licensed;
• Insist on seeing a statement of benefits or a complete copy of the policy;
• Learn about the difference between medical discount plans and health insurance and ask specific questions to make sure you know what you’re getting;
• Research an association or union named in an insurance pitch. Look for a U.S. street address and phone number and for evidence of activity other than selling health insurance;
• Research if an unfamiliar company says it sells plans through a major insurer like BlueCross or BlueShield. Research before agreeing to any terms or conditions.

When looking for health coverage, DO NOT:

• Enter personal information on a website in exchange for a price quote. You may be setting yourself up for identity theft or a barrage of sales calls;
• Keep talking to sales agents who gives vague answers to coverage questions or who tell you the details are “in the brochure”;
• Sign up for a plan if the acceptance bar seems too low – for example, if you are not required to get a physical or provide medical history;
• Provide bank, credit card, personal information or payment to someone who calls or comes to your door regarding ACA coverage. Real ACA representatives will not ask for personal or financial data. Instead, get free assistance in navigating the Health Insurance Market at HealthCare.gov by clicking “Find Local Help.”

REMINDER: Riverside County Nonprofit Grant Application Now Open

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors recently allocated $1 million in funding to support pandemic relief efforts undertaken by nonprofit organizations. Grants will be provided to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing direct COVID-19 relief services and/or serving populations disproportionally impacted by the pandemic. Nonprofits that meet one of the following criteria are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity:

• Support urgent COVID-19 response efforts carried out by non-profit agencies to continue to decrease spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control;
• Support immediate economic stabilization for households and businesses;
• Address systemic public health and economic challenges that have contributed to the unequal impact of the pandemic.
• Mitigate demonstrated financial hardship resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency including covering payroll, mortgages or rent and other operating expenses.

Funding is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, so please apply as soon as possible. In order to be eligible for funding from the Third District office, your nonprofit must serve residents of the Third District. Download the applications at supervisorchuckwashington.com/district-info/nonprofit-grant. For questions, call 951-955-1030 or email d3email@rivco.org.