Biweekly Third District Update

Riverside County COVID-19 Update

As of Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020, there have been 80,971 cases of COVID-19 in Riverside County. There have been 1,417 deaths and 66,283 recoveries. For more detailed data on the County’s COVID-19 cases, visit www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus. For state updates, visit www.cdph.ca.gov, and for national updates, visit www.cdc.gov.

When celebrating Thanksgiving, Riverside County residents are asked to take precautions and have a smaller, shorter and safer holiday this week.

While some may opt to have family gatherings, residents are urged to follow these recommendations:

• Smaller – If you are going to meet during the holiday, keep the groups small and separate, even within a household. Avoid large gatherings.
• Shorter – Keep get-togethers to an hour or two.
• Safer – Don’t forget about basic safety: wear a mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands. Eat and socialize outside. Consider seating one family group on the patio, while another sits in a separate area. Keep plenty of hand sanitizer on hand. Avoid sharing serving utensils.

Riverside County, like the rest of California, has seen a jump in cases, hospitalizations and the use of ICU beds over the last few weeks. The county was recently placed in the purple tier – the most restrictive of the four color-designated state tiers – as the case and positivity rates rose.

State and federal health officials are providing similar guidance for the holidays. For the California Department of Public Health, click here.  

For guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) click here.

Tax Credit for Small Businesses – Application Window is Limited!

• This year, qualified small business employers can apply for a small business hiring credit against California state income taxes or sales and use taxes.
• On Dec. 1, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) will begin accepting applications online for tentative small business hiring credit reservations.
• The credit reservations will be allocated to qualified small business employers on a first-come, first-served basis.
• This credit only applies to California small businesses that meet the following qualifications:
  • Employed 100 or fewer employees as of Dec. 31, 2019; and
  • Suffered a 50 percent decrease or more in income tax gross receipts when comparing second quarter 2020 to second quarter 2019.
• The reservation system will be available from 8 a.m. Dec. 1 through Jan. 15, 2021. Please be aware that funding may not last until Jan. 15. On Dec. 1, be sure to request your tentative credit reservation online by visiting this link.

Virtual Town Hall for Women Business Owners.

• Join Vikita Poindexter, National Association of Women Business Owners California (NAWBO-CA) president, and California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara for a virtual town hall on insurance issues for Women Business Owners during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.
• With many businesses experiencing tremendous economic loss, it is imperative for you to have up to date information on services and resources.
• The event will be held 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9
• Register in advance for the webinar by clicking here.
• Please email your questions in advance to crb@insurance.ca.gov no later than 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30.

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Phases

• A COVID-19 vaccine is not available at the moment, but as soon as it is, Riverside University Health System – Public Health has a three-phase distribution plan.
• Phase 1: Limited supplies of COVID-19 vaccine are available. Initial efforts will reach critical populations in two sub-phases:
  • Phase 1-A:
    • Healthcare personnel treating patients with COVID-19
    • First responders
  • Phase 1-B:
    • Other essential workers
    • People at high risk for severe illness or death (including people 65 years of age and older)
  • Phase 2: Large number of vaccine doses are available to vaccinate the remainder of Phase 1, critical populations and the general public.
  • Phase 3: A sufficient supply of vaccine doses is available for the entire population.
  • The County of Riverside will provide more updates when a COVID-19 vaccine is ready for distribution.