COVID-19 On The Rise In Manhattan Beach; What Role Do You Play?

As businesses and restaurants in Los Angeles County continue to reopen and people get out and about more, COVID-19 is on the rise. Yes, perhaps it is about the availability of more tests for the virus and more people opting to be tested. And perhaps it is about all of the protests that have taken place, putting people in close proximity of each other. But as cases throughout LA County continue to materialize, Manhattan Beach is not immune to an increase in positive cases.

At the City Council meeting Tuesday night, City Manager Bruce Moe presented the latest statistics, noting that on May 20 Manhattan Beach had 74 cases and on June 1 the city had recorded 80. Just this past Wednesday [June 24], LA County data reported 105 cases in Manhattan Beach. Today (Saturday, June 27), the number has risen to 121. The uptick is in stark contrast to when stay-at-home orders and only visiting "essential" businesses kept MB's COVID-19 rate steady at 72 cases.

At City Council's direction, the City of Manhattan Beach is launching a campaign to promote the wearing of face masks, which scientists and the medical community say reduce the spread of this coronavirus. Banners will be placed throughout the city and metal signage positioned on The Strand, an oceanfront walkway known for its popularity and recent lack of face mask wearing, part of which created a national stir when Mira Costa High School seniors walked The Strand from Hermosa Beach's Pier Plaza to the Manhattan Beach Pier after their graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 11. That walk has been chastised and come under heavy public fire and scrutiny since many of the graduates did not wear face masks and yet were walking next to one another. Parents, too, were seen maskless leaning over balconies and decks from homes that line The Strand.

RELATED: Manhattan Beach Launches COVID Campaign For Mask Wearing, Safety

But walk into downtown Manhattan Beach where businesses have reopened and continue to reopen and you will see hand sanitizer, signs requiring the wearing of face masks for entrance, tables blocking entrance where appropriate, route guidance in stores to avoid congestion and retracing steps, and employees wearing masks as they serve the public. The popular Manhattan Beach-centric gift and lifestyle shop Tabula Rasa Essentials is one such business that is intent on keeping the public and its staff safe. Other Manhattan Beach businesses are doing much the same, including popular restaurants like The Strand House, Manhattan Beach Post, Rock 'N Fish, Brewco, The Arthur J, Fishing With Dynamite, Rice, and countless others.

A Los Angeles County authorized testing site in Redondo Beach moved from its initial location at the South Bay Galleria to the Beach Cities Health District headquarters, both in Redondo Beach. Said Dan Smith, BCHD communications manager, "Since June 8th, the positivity rate at the BCHD testing site is 6.6%. Our past 7-day positivity rate is similar at 6.4%, while our cumulative positivity rate at the Galleria/BCHD site (since April 3) is 4.1%."

To accommodate an increased need for testing, the BCHD testing site "has increased capacity to 500 appointments per day up from 400," Smith told Manhattan Beach Patch, noting that appointments open twice a week for the following week. "For example, today [Friday] we opened appointments for June 30-July 3rd. Appointments have been filling up quickly in the past week at the LA County sites due to both increased testing demand and the LA City-run sites transitioning to a new appointment system," he said.

In his most recent message, Dr. William Kim, chief medical advisor to BCHD, wrote, "We need to remain vigilant to stop the spread of COVID-19. The risk of transmission is still high, so we must avoid being exposed. We need to remember the following:

- The virus doesn’t have wings or legs; it can only be spread by us. Proper physical distancing is a readily available tool against the coronavirus.

- Wear a face covering. A scarf or torn-up t-shirt can cut down 50 percent of respiratory droplets. Face coverings, though, are not a replacement for physical distancing and washing your hands.

- Wash your hands. The warmer the water, the better. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds – all around, back, front and between your fingers.

- If you or a family member is quarantined, it’s best that they have their own room and, especially, their own bathroom because flushing a toilet can aerosolize COVID-19 particles.

- If you feel ill and are showing symptoms, the first thing to do is call your primary care provider for directions. Otherwise, call the hospital – in advance – so they can properly receive you, do triage, and check your oxygen saturation, temperature and vitals. These results will determine next steps."

He also noted other sources of medical assistance: Torrance Memorial’s “Ask a Nurse Hotline” at (310) 517-1111, or Providence Little Company of Mary at (888) 432-5464 (888-HEALING), he wrote, "are particularly adept at answering COVID-19 questions and can help sort through symptoms. The Beach Cities Health District Assistance, Information & Referral line at (310) 374-3426, ext.256 can connect you with errand assistance, testing and other health-related information or their website, bchd.org/coronavirus, has great information about coronavirus and getting help in our area."