Since the global pandemic hit Orange County, my main focus has been keeping the residents of our community safe and obtaining resources to combat COVID-19; however, I’ve also been working diligently to continue moving sound transportation policies forward.

As you may know, last month the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (F/ETCA) Board of Directors voted to advance Alternative 22, a NON-TOLLED extension of Los Patrones Parkway from Cow Camp to Avenida La Pata, as well as to formally conclude efforts to build additional toll roads in South County.

The extension of Los Patrones Parkway is one-prong in the three-prong approach to resolve traffic in South County. The other two prongs include the Caltrans and Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) projects to widen Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano and advance carpool lane improvements on Interstate 5 from Avenida Pico to the San Diego County line.   

To support these efforts, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors and I directed staff to:

1. Work with key stakeholders on a project development plan for the extension of Los Patrones Parkway;

2. Work with Caltrans and San Juan Capistrano to obtain funding for the widening of Ortega Highway project; and

3. Work with Caltrans and the San Diego Association of Governments to advance funding for the environmental process for Interstate 5 high-occupancy vehicle lane improvements.

I look forward to moving these projects forward and seeing them through to fruition. Regional stakeholders and local residents alike can now rest assured that they will know what transportation infrastructure will be built-out in South County, and what will not. It certainly has been a long and winding "road" to get to this point, but well worth the effort! 

As we step into our second month under the Governor’s Stay at Home order, I want to thank all of you for continuing to remain strong during these difficult and uncertain times. Together, we are going to overcome this challenge.

I want to give you a brief update on the County’s efforts to combat this virus. As always, our goal is to protect the health and safety of all our residents. Here are just a few important resources and  measures the County has taken to ensure our communities well-being while we continue to combat COVID-19.

• The County of Orange Health Care Agency has already distributed over 1.8 million PPE items to our local hospitals, first responders and healthcare workers.  We have also been able to distribute an additional 59,000 PPE items thanks to generous donations from the community.  We are extremely grateful for the outpouring of support, but are still in need of additional equipment   For more information on PPE needs and hospital readiness, click here.  
• 211OC is a local nonprofit that offers Orange County residents information and connections to community health and human services and support. During the COVID-19 crisis, 211OC has been a very helpful, one stop shop for residents in need of meals, financial help, housing, unemployment insurance information, and volunteer opportunities. For more information, just call 211 on any telephone or go to 211oc.org.
• Project Roomkey is a State-County partnership to provide housing and humane isolation for individuals experiencing homelessness, especially those at the greatest risk of contracting COVID-19. Hotels and motels across Orange County are voluntarily working with us to fulfill the Governor’s mandate and minimize the spread of COVID-19.  All regions of the County will have a Project Roomkey location. For more information on Project Roomkey, click here.
• The County of Orange Health Care Agency’s Behavioral Health Service is focused on continuing to treat and improve mental health by providing telephonic and telehealth services. By simply calling or visiting OCLinks, residents are instantly connected to the OC Health Care Agency’s Behavioral Health services,  including children and adult mental health, alcohol and drug inpatient and outpatient services, crisis programs, and prevention and early intervention services. Trained navigators provide information, referral, and linkage directly to programs that meet the needs of callers. For more information, call, (714) 834-2332 or click here to visit the website for live chat services. You can also find more mental health resources through BeWell OC.

Once again, thank you to our entire community for all you have done to help Orange County bend the curve and keep our residents safe and healthy. By working together, we will combat this virus and get our County working again.

The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) continues to release the daily COVID-19 case counts by cities in Orange County, in addition to the cumulative cases and deaths to date in Orange County. As of today, HCA is reporting 1,501 positive cases in Orange County and 28 deaths.

Please be advised that the city data is reflective of where cases live, not necessarily where transmission occurred. Additionally, city numbers should not be interpreted to reflect where transmission is geographically focused or not, as COVID-19 is present in all communities in Orange County.

Case counts are also not reflective of all disease transmission in any given community because testing is prioritized for those at greatest risk or most sick. Asymptomatic and persons with mild disease may not be reflected due to not being tested.

Because transmission occurs throughout the County, it is important for all residents to practice social-distancing as directed by the Governor and the Orange County Health Officer regardless of the case count in their city. Doing so will help to reduce the spread of infection, ease the burden on our hospital and healthcare system, and protect those most vulnerable in our county.

Governor Gavin Newsom this week unveiled six key indicators that will guide California’s thinking for when and how to modify the stay-at-home and other orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Governor noted that the progress in flattening the curve, increased preparedness of our health care delivery system and the effects of other COVID-19 interventions have yielded positive results. However, these actions have also impacted the economy, poverty and overall health care in California. Any consideration of modifying the stay-at-home order must be done using a gradual, science-based and data-driven framework.

“While Californians have stepped up in a big way to flatten the curve and buy us time to prepare to fight the virus, at some point in the future we will need to modify our stay-at-home order,” said Governor Newsom. “As we contemplate reopening parts of our state, we must be guided by science and data, and we must understand that things will look different than before.”

Until we build immunity, our actions will be aligned to achieve the following: 

• Ensure our ability to care for the sick within our hospitals;
• Prevent infection in people who are at high risk for severe disease;
• Build the capacity to protect the health and well-being of the public; and
• Reduce social, emotional and economic disruptions

California’s six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are: 

• The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
• The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
• The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges;
• The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
• The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and
• The ability to determine when to re-institute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.

The Governor said there is not a precise timeline for modifying the stay-at-home order, but that these six indicators will serve as the framework for making that decision.

He also noted that things will look different as California makes modifications. For example, restaurants will have fewer tables and classrooms will be reconfigured. For more information on California’s response, visit covid19.ca.gov.

To view the slide deck of "California's Roadmap to Modify the Stay-At-Home Order" used during the Governor’s Tuesday press conference, click here or on the image below.

As the spread and far reaching impacts of COVID-19 dominate the world news, we have all witnessed and experienced the parallel spread of worry, anxiety, and uncertainty. The way to overcome this natural tendency is to build our mental resilience, the ability to refocus, clear our minds, and discard negative thoughts.

Here's what you can do...

1) Remember that knowledge is power. Understanding the factors that affect a person’s immune response to COVID-19 will matter as much as, or more than, understanding the virus. There is great information available on the Orange County Health Care Agency's website, 

2) Don’t accept everything you read or hear. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information and frequent updates on the COVID-19’s spread, severity, risk assessment, etc., on the CDC's website. 

3) Get your emotional support system in place:

• Maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible; take care of your basic needs and employ helpful coping strategies; rest during work or between shifts, eat healthy food and engage in physical activity.
• Stay connected with friends and family, even virtually connected, and maintain your social networks.
• Have the emails and phone numbers of close friends and family handy.

4) Take control, incorporate preventative measures:

• See the CDC’s list of preventative measures.
• The constant stream of news reports can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. Instead, seek updates and practical guidelines at intervals during the day.
• Be supportive to others. Assisting others in their time of need can benefit the person receiving support as well as the helper.

If you or a loved one are feeling anxiety, worry or fear related to the social disruption caused by COVID-19, you can also reach out to these resources for support:

• Call (855) OC-LINKS or visit the OC Links website Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM to talk or chat with a trained clinical navigator.
• The NAMI Warmline is also here to provide non-crisis support for anyone struggling with mental health concerns Monday through Friday from from 9 AM to 3 AM, and Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 3 AM. Call (877) 910-WARM or visit www.namioc.org.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Download the NAMI HelpLine Coronavirus Information and Resources Guide
• American Psychological Association (APA) ‘Building Your Resilience’

For general information about COVID-19, please call the OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448, HCA website, or follow HCA on Facebook and Twitter.

For non-medical questions, contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085. 

Many of you are at home working or self-isolating and spending more time on the internet. Unfortunately, thieves are taking advantage of this situation and coming up with new and innovative ways to separate you from your money.

Now would be a good time to educate yourself on the various ploys that are used by scammers regarding COVID-19. Read more here.

The County of Orange has consolidated the information and links to various local, state and federal resources that are available to residents and businesses. Please visit our new COVID-19 Resource Directory!  

Residents can sign up to receive text message updates related to COVID-19 in Orange County. To opt-in for this service, text OCCOVID19 to 888777.

The County of Orange Emergency Operations Center has collaborated with Everbridge Nixle to launch this one-way alert system as an additional option for community members to receive the latest news and resources related to COVID-19. Text message updates will be provided daily from the County of Orange Emergency Operations Center during its activation.

Residents who have questions about an update can contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085 between 9 AM and 6 PM daily. For more information, click here.

Residents can now call (833) 426-6411 for inquiries related to COVID–19 in Orange County. This hotline will provide resources specific to the Orange County COVID-19 response.

Through the hotline, callers can be connected to the following County of Orange agencies:

• Orange County Health Care Agency – Health Referral Line, Behavioral Health Resources
• Orange County Social Services Agency – Risk Benefits
• Orange County Office on Aging – Resources for Seniors
• Orange County District Attorney’s Office – Scams, Price Gouging
• County of Orange Emergency Operations Center Hotline – Non-Medical Questions

Residents who have questions about COVID-19 can contact the Orange County COVID-19 Hotline at any time, but individual hotline hours will vary. The Orange County COVID-19 Hotline can be reached at (833) 426-6411.

The Orange County Health Care Agency website has information that is regularly updated regarding the status of COVID-19 in Orange County.

For information about COVID-19 in the State of California, please visit their website.

As we continue to wear disposable gloves and masks to protect ourselves, please remember to properly dispose of used protective equipment in the trash bin. Littering of waste can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health, including children who may not realize the items they are touching and can potentially be hazardous.

We’re encouraging Orange County residents to make smart decisions to help us all stay healthy and safe during this difficult time.

Thousands of seniors are now home-bound, in fear of losing the meals they depend on. With an increased demand for Meals on Wheels deliveries and senior centers closures countywide, seniors may be left without that critical lifeline to healthy meals.

Age Well Senior Services has a plan, but they need your help. They’ve scaled up their Meals on Wheels deliveries and converted the daily senior center meals program to grab-and-go.

To find information regarding program updates and ways you can help, please click here.

I'm excited to inform you that Saddleback Church in Lake Forest has graciously provided 1,000 masks to the County of Orange. While Saddleback Church believes there are other deserving recipients, they felt our leadership since we have been working together provides certainty that the masks will be used in the most responsible fashion. Thank you so much to Saddlback Church!