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COVID-19 INFORMATION

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UPDATED May 15, 2020, 1:15 pm

COVID-19 TESTING SITE IN THE BELL

 Los Angeles County Public Health

  • County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health Safer at Work and in The Community: Health Officer Order Frequently Asked Questions

Bell Testing Site - Provided Through the County of Los Angeles Public Health

  • Appointments Required

Those Who Feel They Require Testing Should:

  • Contact their Primary Health Office/Physician
  • Schedule an Appointment for Free COVID-19 Testing at any of the County Testing Sites

Symptom Requirements For Testing:

  • Fever
  • Signs/Symptoms of Lower Respiratory Illness (e.g. Cough or Shortness of Breath)

Free Transportation Offered to Bell Residents for Walk up Testing:

  • Contact the Bell Community Center at (323) 773-1596. Click HERE for more information.  

 

 

EMERGENCY DECLARATION 

March 16, 2020 — Following the President's Declaration of a National Emergency and reviewing the newest guidance provided by the State and County Departments of Public Health, the City of Bell is implementing temporary precautionary changes to City operations to protect the public and reduce community spread of Coronavirus (C0VlD-19). The following operational changes will be effective at 5:00 pm on Monday, March 16, 2020. The changes to operations will be in place through Friday, April 3rd, or until further notice.

Los Angeles Department of Public Health: Conditional Re-Opening of Certain Lower-Risk Retail Businesses, Golf Courses, and Public Spaces

City Manager - Emergency Declaration Directive

Proclamation of Local Emergency

Press Release From March 16, 2020 (English)

Press Release From March 16, 2020 (Spanish)

Press Release From March 16, 2020 (Arabic)

State of California "Stay at Home" Order

County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, "Safer at Home Order for Control of COVID-19"

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health- Guidance for Cloth Face Coverings

City Resolution 2020-14 Ratifying Proclamation of Local Emergency

 

 

 

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

EXTENDED LIST OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE LINKS

MEDICAL SHELTERING

LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES

  • English PSA- Reporting Abuse, Click HERE
  • Spanish PSA- Informar Abuso, Click HERE

FOOD ASSISTANCE

  • To find your local Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Click HERE
  • For the Los Angeles County Office of Education Map of Student Meals and Distribution Sites, Click HERE
  • Southeast Los Angeles Food Distribution Centers, Click HERE 
  • KIPP Public Schools Southeast Los Angeles Food Distribution, Click HERE

SENIOR SERVICES

  • Food Drop Off Requests for Bell Seniors, contact the Bell Community Services Hotline at 323-773-1596, Mon-Fri 8:00am to 6:00pm.
  • Southeast Los Angeles Senior Resources, Click HERE

LOS ANGELES COUNTY RENTAL ASSISTANCE

  • English, Click HERE
  • Spanish, Click HERE

SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

  • LA Regional Covid Fund will provide grants from $5,000 to $15,000 to micro-enterprises, small businesses, and non profits. Click HERE for more information.  
  • The Los Angeles County Development Authority assists with businesses who are facing financial difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic with Business Recovery Loans. Click HERE for more information.
  • The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors approved the Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Small Business Program, allocating loan funding for tenant improvements to ground floor retail sapces in affordable housing projects near High Quality Transit Nodes in Response to COVID-19. Click HERE for more information. 

HOUSING

  • The Housing Rights Center Virtual Services, Click HERE for more information.
  • State Wide Rent Cap and Just Cause Protection, Click HERE for more information.
  • Housing Rights Center Workshop Presentation, Click HERE to view. 

UTILITIES

  • So Cal Gas Customer Assistance Programs, Click HERE for more information.

DISASTER RELIEF ASSISTANCE FOR IMMIGRANTS

 Opción de traducción disponible al visitar está pagina web

  • California State Department of Social Services, Click HERE
  • Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights, Click HERE

 

VIRTUAL CITY HALL

CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:

To Set-up an appointment or if you have any questions for Paul Phillips, City Manager, please contact the following staff: Susie Gomes - Executive Assistant - sgomes@cityofbell.org

  • PUBLIC WORKS (Streets, Lights, Water and Sewer)  
  • CODE ENFORCEMENT  
  • CIVIC CENTER FACILITIES

 

POLICE: 

To Set-up an appointment or if you have any questions for Carlos Islas, Chief of Police, please contact the following staff: Angela Ruiz - Management Analyst - aruiz@cityofbell.org

  • DISPATCH & RECORDS: Please call (323) 585-1245

 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: 

To Set-up an appointment or if you have any questions for Manuel Acosta, Community Development Director, please contact him directly at macosta@cityofbell.org

  • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
    • Please e-mail Jackie Choi - Economic Specialist - jchoi@cityofbell.org - 323-588-6211
    • For RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES AND WORKERS AFFECTED BY COVID 19, Click HERE.

 

COMMUNITY SERVICES:

To Set-Up an appointment with Allan Perdomo, Community Services Director please contact the following staff: Francesca Sciamanna - Management Analyst - fsciamanna@cityofbell.org - (323) 773-1596

  • RECREATION  
  • ANIMAL SERVICES
    •  Update on Animal Control Services for Bell Residents - County of Los Angeles, Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC)
      • Field officers are being dispatched only to critical public safety and animal welfare calls such as dangerous dogs, sick or injured animals, requests for police assistance, animal cruelty investigations, and dead animal removal. 
      • Pet license renewal fees will not be collected at the counter, only via mail or online via the DACC website. Pet owners will be given a 30-day grace period for late license submittal without penalty.
      • Pet owners who wish to surrender their pets will be asked to delay doing so if possible
      • DACC will encourage people who have found stray animals to foster them, if possible, and use the “Shadow” app on the DACC’s website to help reunite lost pets with their owner
    • Call the Bell Community Center at (323) 773-1596 or e-mail, Genesis Puente - Office Assistant II - gpuente@cityofbell.org
     
  • TRANSPORTATION
    • Please e-mail Francesca Sciamanna - Management Analyst - fsciamanna@cityofbell.org
      • The La Campana Fixed Route Shuttle will not be in services on Saturdays until further notice
      • All La Campana Passengers are required to wear face masks/coverings before boarding.
     
  • PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

 

FINANCE:

To Set-Up an appointment with the Finance Director or Accounting Manager please contact them at: Tineke Norrdin - Finance Director -  tnorrdin@cityofbell.org and Elisa Gratil - Accounting Manager -  egratil@cityofbell.org 

 

RISK MANAGEMENT:

To Set-Up an appointment please contact the following staff: Sergio Ibarra - Human Resources & Risk Manager - sibarra@cityofbell.org  

 

HUMAN RESOURCES:

To Set-Up an appointment please contact the following staff: Noel Barajas - Sr. Human Resources Analyst - nbarajas@cityofbell.org  

 

 

CITY UPDATES

CITY FACILITIES & PARKS:

  • All parks will be closed from Saturday, March 14 - Friday, May 1.

 

RESTAURANTS - STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS:

POLICE INFORMATION 

PATROL DIVISION

  • Please expect to be asked the following questions when contacted by Bell PD:
  • Any non-emergency police reports will be taken over the phone. Please call our business line (323) 585-1245 for assistance. A police officer will contact you and determine if a report can be taken over the phone or a response is needed. All calls will be prioritized according to the type of call for service is being made.
  • Any complaints or general information (non-police response related) please call (323) 538-7801. Please leave your contact information and we will call you back as soon as possible.

RECORDS BUREAU

  • Bell Police Department lobby shall be closed for walk-ins. Any records request shall be made by appointment only. This includes copies of reports, Public Record Request (PRAs), impound releases, etc. Please call this temporary records appointment hotline for appointments (323) 538-7800.
  • Parking citation payments will not be accepted at Bell PD. You can submit payment or contest a citation online at www.citationprocessingcenter.com.

DETECTIVE BUREAU

  • Please expect investigative interviews to be made over the phone. If detectives determine that you must come in or they need to come to you, please let detectives know if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT

  • All parking laws and restrictions remain in effect.
  • No overnight parking between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. municipal code will continue to be enforced.

JAIL

  • ALL visitations have been suspended unless it is a visit from the arrested person’s personal attorney.

 

EXTENDED COMMUNITY CENTER PHONE LINE

  • The Bell Community Center's mainline (323) 773-1596 has been extended to answer any community questions. All park calls will be forward to the Bell Community Center beginning on Saturday, March 14th.
  • The temporary phone line schedule is the following:
    • Monday - Friday / 8:00a.m. – 6:00p.m.
    • Saturday - Sunday /  9:00a.m. – 1:00p.m.

 

CITY MEETINGS

  • City Commission Meetings are canceled until the end of March, or until further notice.
  • The next City Council Meeting is scheduled for April 8, 2020. 

 

SCHOOLS

  • The Los Angeles Unified School District has closed all schools from Monday, March 16 through Friday, May 1, 2020.

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

The City of Bell is coordinating with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health), this is the local agency that is taking the lead in the prevention of the spread of novel coronavirus. The health and well-being of the greater Los Angeles community remain our top priority. For information on the status of the virus, the City of Bell recommends reliable sources of information such as the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The CDC is the primary source for this article.

 

SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES

According to the CDC, imported cases of COVID-19 in travelers have been detected in the U.S. Person-to-person spread of COVID-19 also has been reported among close contacts of returned travelers from Wuhan. On February 25, 2020, CDC confirmed COVID-19 in a person who reportedly did not have relevant travel history or exposure to another known patient with COVID-19 (unknown exposure).

 

ILLNESS SEVERITY

Both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV have been known to cause severe illness in people. The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully understood. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death. Learn more about the symptoms associated with COVID-19.

 

RISK ASSESSMENT

Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern. The risk from these outbreaks depends on the characteristics of the virus, including how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications). The fact that this disease has caused illness, including illness resulting in death, and sustained person-to-person spread is concerning. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic. As community spread is detected in more and more countries, the world moves closer toward meeting the third criteria, the worldwide spread of the new virus.

The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the United States.

But the individual risk is dependent on exposure.

  • For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low.
  • Under current circumstances, certain people will have an increased risk of infection, for example healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 and other close contacts of persons with COVID-19. CDC has developed guidance to help in the risk assessment and management of people with potential exposures to COVID-19.

However, it’s important to note that current global circumstances suggest it is likely that this virus will cause a pandemic. In that case, the risk assessment would be different.

 

WHAT MAY HAPPEN

More cases are likely to be identified in the coming days, including more cases in the United States. It’s also likely that person-to-person spread will continue to occur, including in the United States. Widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States would translate into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time. Schools, childcare centers, workplaces, and other places for mass gatherings may experience more absenteeism. Public health and healthcare systems may become overloaded, with elevated rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services, and the transportation industry may also be affected. Health care providers and hospitals may be overwhelmed. At this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it. Nonpharmaceutical interventions would be the most important response strategy.

 

CDC RESPONSE

Global efforts at this time are focused concurrently on containing the spread of this virus and mitigating the impact of this virus. The federal government is working closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, as well as public health partners, to respond to this public health threat. The public health response is multi-layered, with the goal of detecting and minimizing introductions of this virus in the United States so as to reduce the spread and the impact of this virus. CDC is operationalizing all of its pandemic preparedness and response plans, working on multiple fronts to meet these goals, including specific measures to prepare communities to respond to local transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19. There is an abundance of pandemic guidance developed in anticipation of an influenza pandemic that is being repurposed and adapted for a COVID-19 pandemic.

 

CDC RECOMMENDS

While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, everyone can do their part to help us respond to this emerging public health threat:

  • It’s currently flu and respiratory disease season and CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine, taking everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.
  • If you are a healthcare provider, be on the look-out for people who recently traveled from China and have a fever and respiratory symptoms.
  • If you are a healthcare provider caring for a COVID-19 patient or a public health responder, please take care of yourself and follow recommended infection control procedures.
  • If you have been in China or have been exposed to someone sick with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, you will face some limitations on your movement and activity. Please follow instructions during this time. Your cooperation is integral to the ongoing public health response to try to slow spread of this virus. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, contact your healthcare provider, and tell them about your symptoms and your travel or exposure to a COVID-19 patient.
  • For people who are ill with COVID-19, please follow CDC guidance on how to reduce the risk of spreading your illness to others.

 

Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC)- Enfermedad del Coronavirus 2019 (COVID‑19)

California Employment Development Department (EDD) Resources on Coronavirus 2019

 

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