The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) is deploying Mobile Field Hospitals (MFH) to local hospitals to support the Orange County health care system as it responds to a surge in COVID-19 patients. OC hospitals may receive emergency waivers from the California Department of Public Health to request the use of the MFH facilities. 

Mobile Field Hospital (MFH)

MFHs are capable of expanding current hospital capacity by adding additional beds to existing grounds. They are housed in large, semi-type trailers and contain heavy duty canvas tents with hard flooring and temperature-controlled units equipped with running water, toilets and showers, generators and lighting, as well as air purifiers. MFHs can be configured in a myriad of footprints and sizes, and HCA has a total of 8 trailers to support at minimum, 200 patient beds. 

The MFHs can be used for numerous COVID-19 mitigation activities, such as expanding emergency department capacity and med-surge or specialty care unit beds, mass vaccination facilities, and more. Each identified hospital is charged with using the MFH in a manner that best suits their facility. The following OC hospitals have requested this resource from HCA and have already activated their surge plans: 

• Fountain Valley Regional Hospital - 50 beds
• St. Jude Medical Center, Fullerton - 25 beds
• University of California, Irvine - 50 beds

Planning is also currently underway with additional hospitals to encourage an equitable countywide distribution of HCA’s available mobile beds. For more information, click here. To read an urgent message from our County Health Officer, click here.

I'm pleased to report the COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Orange County and is in the process of being administered to our Phase 1A healthcare providers. This is a positive and promising step toward ridding the virus from our communities.

This coronavirus pandemic has impacted all of our lives, some more than others, throughout the most of 2020. While many of us are anxious to receive the vaccine, there are specific State and Federal protocols that must be followed in terms of distributing and administering the vaccine.

To that end, a phased-in approach will be utilized to distribute the vaccine, with the first round being administered to critical populations in an effort to reduce morbidity and mortality rates. If you would like to see which phase you might be in, click here.

For those who are interested in receiving the vaccine, the first step is to contact your primary care physician and let them know you're interested and willing to receive it. For our older adults, please contact our Orange County Office on Aging and inform them of your interest.

In the upcoming weeks, the County will be launching a publicly available phone and web application that will allow OC residents to express their interest in receiving the vaccine and obtain a general timeline as to when they will be eligible for it.

We are receiving shipments of the FDA approved vaccines weekly and will continue to work through the phases as quickly as supplies are available. We ask for your patience and cooperation during this time.

For more information on the County’s Vaccination plans, click here. To view the CDPH Community Vaccine Advisory Committee’s Phase 1a Guidelines for California Local Health Departments, click here.

Unfortunately, we have already received reports of scams showing up in Orange County, advertising the vaccine for a heavy cost. Please be advised that the vaccine will only be distributed by state-approved health care providers and is free to all our residents.

Please remember to stay vigilant during these times, and if you recognize suspicious behavior regarding the vaccine, please call the Orange County District Attorney’s COVID-19 Hotline at (714) 834-3482. For tips from the Federal Trade Commission on how to spot a COVID-19 scam, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above for more info.

County Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau issued two Health Officer’s Orders this week:

1) New Health Order to Help Prevent Spread of COVID-19 in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly - As of December 16, all residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFEs) must cancel all communal dining and indoor communal activities within 24 hours of when a resident and/or employee is diagnosed with COVID-19.

• The facility may resume these activities after it has completed two consecutive rounds of COVID-19 tests for all residents and employees that are at least 7 days apart and the tests have all returned negative.
• All RCFEs that are permitted to hold communal dining and indoor communal activities must ensure they are following the COVID-19 prevention guidelines found here.

2) Mandatory Quarantine Order for Most Close Contacts Shortened from 14 to 10 days - In accordance with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health, Orange County residents and visitors who know that they have been in close contact with a person diagnosed with or likely to have COVID-19 shall quarantine themselves in their home or another residence for 10 days from the last date of exposure. They may not leave their place of quarantine except to receive necessary medical care or to obtain such other goods or services necessary for their basic subsistence.

Exceptions to the 10-day quarantine are detailed here. Individuals with questions about COVID-19 may call the OC Health Care Agency’s COVID-19 Hotline at (714) 834-2000, Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email ETeam@ochca.com. For more information and resources about COVID-19, please click here.

Advance OC has funding to purchase restaurant meals to be delivered to 5,000 vulnerable seniors December 19 & 26. Volunteers are urgently needed and will be assigned to deliver up to 20 meals in a specific region in Orange County.

Each region is based on the location of the seniors as well as the restaurants for ease of pick up and delivery for each volunteer. No experience is necessary and delivery will be no-contact for the health and safety of all parties involved. A brief training webinar will also be offered so all questions can be adequately addressed.

To reiterate, Advance OC is desperately seeking up to 200 volunteers and time is tight, so please share this through all possible channels. I know our community members have a heart for our homebound seniors. Thank you so much for serving our most vulnerable population during their time of greatest need! For more information or to sign-up to help, please click here.

On June 2, the Board of Supervisors approved my 5th District Nutrition Gap Program (NGP) to address the food insecurity challenges caused by COVID-19 in South County.

To that end, enrollment for the NGP - benefiting individuals age 55 and older, persons with disabilities, and military veterans regardless of age - was launched September 14, as the first deliveries to eligible participants began September 21.

As such, I'm very pleased to report that to date we've successfully delivered over 80,000 meals from Ruby's Diner and 95,000 food boxes to eligible participants of the Program!

Please be advised that the 5th District Nutrition Gap Program will be closing Wednesday, December 23 at 12:00 PM, with the last delivery taking place Tuesday, December 29.

Thank you so much to our wonderful NGP partners - 211 OC, Second Harvest Food Bank, Ruby’s Diner, and County staff - for their outstanding support of the Program. Congratulations on a job well done! For more information, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to enlarge.

The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has launched phase 2 of its at-home, saliva-based COVID-19 testing program with Ambry Genetics for all Orange County residents. 

The County’s phase 1 at-home test kit program began November 23 and continued through December 6, during which approximately 12,000 kits were made available to the cities hit hardest by the pandemic — Santa Ana and Anaheim. After reviewing utilization data from the initial success of phase 1, the Orange County Board of Supervisors Testing Ad Hoc Committee recommended that HCA make this free testing service immediately available countywide.

Those who live in Orange County may click here and register to receive a test kit shipped directly to their home at no cost. Ambry Genetics is able to process 4,000 tests each day with a 48 hour turnaround time for notification of results. 

Ambry’s CARE for COVID Program was developed with the latest guidance from federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is an end-to-end screening, testing, and result-management solution, which includes:

• Ambry’s AVA™ virtual assistant supporting an online health questionnaire
• Online determination of essential worker status or medical necessity criteria (symptoms/exposure, etc.) that enables insurance billing or uninsured third-party billing for the test, ensuring there is no cost for the resident
• A HIPAA compliant software that enables users to register their test kit
• Medical provider ordered-testing and supervision (including return and review of results)
  Viral testing by Ambry’s RT-PCR test using saliva collection for a simpler and more convenient experience than nasopharyngeal swabs commonly used by other labs
• Most results reported directly through the CARE platform within 24 hours of receipt of the sample by the lab.

If an online order is placed for a kit by 1 p.m. Pacific Time Monday through Friday, the kit will arrive the next day. For orders placed after 1 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, or any time on Saturday or Sunday, the kit will arrive the following Tuesday. The Ambry Genetics lab receives kits every Monday through Saturday, runs testing, and reports out test results 7 days a week.

In our fight against COVID-19, we continue to leverage all available resources to provide convenient and reliable testing our residents. We anticipate the convenience of online test ordering and reporting, telehealth support, and at-home sample collection will provide greater support to OC residents as case counts continue to surge across the county. For more information, please click here.

This week, my Board colleagues and I approved $10 Million for a countywide Small Business Economic Support Program, intended to provide much needed financial support to small businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

Funding will be allocated equally among the five supervisorial districts ($2M per district), which is in addition to the $75M CARES ACT Small Business Relief Program previously approved and allocated over the summer to small businesses and nonprofits throughout Orange County.  

Details of the Small Business Economic Support Program are currently under development and will be released soon. Please stay tuned to my newsletter for more information!

The City of Mission Viejo has launched its Small Business Emergency Relief Grant Program, with grants up to $25,000 available for eligible businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19. 

To be eligible for the Small Business Emergency Relief Grant Program, a business or nonprofit must meet criteria established by the City of Mission Viejo. To qualify, a business or nonprofit applicant must prove their business has been affected by COVID-19 in one of the following ways:

• Sales from the business are down more than 25% compared with the previous year (i.e. 2019 vs. 2020)
• If the business does not have previous year comparisons, it can provide the previous three months (Prior to March 1, 2020).
• The business has had to lay off at least one of its employees (full or part-time).  

For more information, click here.

While not a County of Orange program, I’m pleased to report the State has announced a package of assistance for small businesses affected by COVID-19, including $500 million in grants for small businesses and nonprofits that have been financially impacted by COVID-19 and the associated health & safety restrictions.

The program will be administered by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), with underserved micro and small businesses, as well as nonprofits, eligible for grants up to $25,000.

CalOSBA is currently in the process of establishing the program and will make it available to small businesses and nonprofits as soon as possible. While the program is being created, please sign-up to receive the update when launched, which is projected to be in early 2021. For more information or to subscribe, please visit business.ca.gov/osba-signup/.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors last week adopted a Healthy Communities Resolution, brought forth by myself and Supervisor Wagner, affirming our Board’s commitment to the principles that the County of Orange is best served by its ability to respond locally to the COVID-19 virus. The resolution was later amended to include a request to the County’s legislative delegation to petition the Governor for local control. To view the Board Resolution, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to enlarge.

The Governor's latest stay-at-home order calls for Orange County to be included in a region with 11 other counties, representing over half the State’s population and spanning as far north as Mono County and as far south as San Diego. This makes it extremely difficult to effectively manage the impacts of COVID-19 on our local communities.

At this time, I am laser-focused on two key objectives: First of all, working with our local hospitals, County staff and other stakeholders in the region to secure funding so we can increase our hospital and ICU capacity to a level above the 15% threshold. Secondly, I will do everything I can to persuade the State to reduce the number of counties in the Southern California Region to a more localized and manageable size.

Tackling this virus on a localized basis makes a lot more sense. We need a balanced approach that effectively balances the health, safety and economic wellbeing of Orange County. The one-size fits all approach does not work. Our business owners have done an amazing job in safeguarding their premises, including protecting their workers and patrons, as have our residents in following public health protocols.

To that end, my goal is to get the regional stay-at-home order lifted as soon as possible so we can begin the process of permanently reopening our economy!

Upon California’s implementation of the latest executive order urging residents to stay home in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) acted immediately and again began waiving the $20 FasTrak account suspension fee that may be assessed when the account balance is negative and the method of payment is rejected by the issuing financial institution more than once.

TCA previously suspended this fee from April to October to offer relief for drivers in the early days of the pandemic. For more information, click here.

In addition to serving on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, I'm also pleased to serve you on the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors. As part of our mission to create a balanced and sustainable future for Orange County, OCTA is developing a Hazard Mitigation Plan.

This project will support current OCTA emergency and crisis management plans, strengthen the organization’s resilience to natural hazards, and assist OCTA in accessing federal funding to implement interventions from natural disasters. Examples of natural hazards include flooding, earthquakes, and wildfires.  

Public input is needed to help identify hazards that might impact the use of OCTA services and find out what is needed to help reduce hazard risks.

Please help OCTA assist Orange County by taking this online survey, available through January 8.

I'm pleased to report that the OC Flex micro-transit pilot program has been extended through December 2021 in South County, where the OCTA service has been well used in its first two years.

OC Flex has been operating since October 2018 and allows passengers to request a ride on demand through the OC Flex mobile app within the service area, currently in portions of Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel.

The impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the OC Flex service have made it challenging to evaluate the performance of the pilot program. However, prior to March, ridership in South County had been steadily increasing and key metrics, such as subsidy per boarding, continued to improve.

The proposed 14-month extension of OC Flex will allow OCTA to better evaluate the program’s performance during and beyond the pandemic, as well as incorporate any future health and safety adjustments. For more information about OC Flex, click here.

The County's Operation Santa Claus and Senior Santa & Friends holiday gift drives are currently collecting donations for children and seniors across Orange County.

Operation Santa Claus, which began as a small effort to meet the needs of a handful of children in 1962, has become a major event for the community. This program provides gifts and toys to children who are in foster care in Orange County, as well as to children of disadvantaged
families that are receiving services from the County of Orange.

Last year, Operation Santa Claus distributed over 41,000 toys/gifts to children in need.

The Orange County Social Services Agency (SSA) also runs Senior Santa & Friends. This program is geared toward providing gifts and special request items to low income elderly or severely disabled adults who are clients of SSA and/or the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Last year, Senior Santa & Friends provided over 2,300 gifts and necessities to low-income seniors and adults with disabilities in Orange County.

For more information about Operation Santa Claus, please call (714) 679-2438 or email here. For more information about Senior Santa & Friends, please call (714) 825-3111 or email here.

The Disneyland Resort has kicked-off a public service awareness campaign across Orange County to encourage all residents to adhere to current health and safety guidelines to help protect local communities.

The campaign, Together We Can Be Incredible, features characters from Disney and Pixar’s “The Incredibles,” sharing tips and reminders of important health and safety measures.

The PSA reiterates current health and safety measures based on guidance from health authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and appropriate government agencies, including our OC Health Care Agency (HCA).

The scope of the campaign is made possible in part by existing relationships across Orange County, including with the Los Angeles Angels, Anaheim Ducks and more. In addition, the Disneyland Resort is working with local school districts to provide tools and resources to share with students.

For more information, click here. To watch the “Together We Can Be Incredible” video, click the image below.

Click the image above to watch the video.

We all love our local restaurants in South County and want to see them succeed during these unprecedented and most challenging of times. Whether you order takeout, delivery, or purchase a gift certificate, thank you so much for supporting our local restaurants and businesses! 

With the recent additional restrictions from the State, I want to assist our 5th District residents in identifying and locating their local restaurants to support. To that end, many of our Chambers of Commerce in South County are also promoting the restaurants and businesses in their respective communities.

Please see the following alphabetical listing of our local Chamber of Commerce websites featuring their respective restaurant members:

• Aliso Viejo Chamber of Commerce
• Dana Point Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce
• Ladera Rancho Chamber of Commerce
• Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce
• Laguna Hills Chamber of Commerce
• Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce
• Lake Forest Chamber of Commerce
• Mission Viejo Chamber of Commerce
• Rancho Santa Margarita Chamber of Commerce
• San Clemente Chamber of Commerce
• San Clemente Downtown Business Association
• San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce

Needless to say, 2020 has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us, but this is especially true of small businesses and restaurants that have been forced to continuously modify their operations in order to adhere to changes in guidance and stay-at-home orders issued by the State. As a result, we have seen some local businesses remain resilient by utilizing creative ways to continue operating.

One innovative example of a local restaurant that has modified their operations during this difficult time is Kings Fish House in Laguna Hills, where they have created an indoor marketplace, offering great prices on local seafood, prime & dry-aged steaks, fresh fruits & veggies, cocktails to-go, and custom meal kits.

King's Fish House's new indoor market 

The saying, “Shop and Dine Local,” has never been more appropriate, and I urge our Fifth District residents to please do so during the holiday season and beyond.

If you are a small business owner or restaurateur, or have simply seen one doing something creative and unique, I want to hear from you. Please share these innovative ideas with us so we can help spread the word!

With the holiday season already upon us, the Orange County Board of Supervisors is calling on our residents to safely connect with their elderly neighbors amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Happy Holidays Neighbor! is a public awareness micro-campaign targeted at raising awareness of the dangers related to senior isolation and suggesting ways everyday citizens can reach out and make a difference.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, there are many public health risks linked to social isolation and loneliness. With one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older considered to be socially isolated, this makes seniors more susceptible to increased risk of serious medical conditions, such as dementia and heart disease.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic threatens to further cut off seniors from regular social engagement as well as limit their ability to access needed food, supplies and medication. During the holiday period, seniors face further challenges related to gift buying, mailing packages and decorating their home exteriors.

The Happy Holidays Neighbor! public awareness micro-campaign suggests ways to connect and support seniors this holiday season in COVID-safe ways that focus on physical distancing but still maintain a social connection. It features a printable postcard that neighbors can fill out and send to local seniors, asking what assistance they need and providing the neighbor’s contact information. Additionally, the micro-campaign provides information about County and local senior resources that are important during the holiday season.

The physical health of our seniors is critical, but we can’t overlook the importance of mental health. The holidays are a time to come together to show how much we care for the health and well-being of our seniors.

For more information on how residents can support neighbors in their community, please visit the Orange County Office on Aging website.

The OC Health Care Agency continues to release daily COVID-19 case counts in Orange County. As of today, HCA is reporting 116,377 positive cumulative cases and 1,734 deaths, as well as 1,557 currently hospitalized with 358 in ICU.

Please be advised that 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 our 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 hospitals and healthcare system, as well as protect those most vulnerable in our county.

With flu season now upon us, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is already experiencing the devastating effects of a double whammy of influenza and COVID-19 cases hitting in the fall and winter months and urges everyone to get a flu shot.

Recognizing all of the things that people are worried about, such as paying bills and dealing with the stress of social isolation due to COVID-19, the County has launched a flu vaccine campaign designed to encourage people to get their flu shot so they have one less thing to think about. The tag line is “Don’t worry about the flu, too!”

According to a Centers for Disease Control study of the 2018-19 flu season, of people 19 years of age and older,
48.7% of White people received flu shots, while only 39.4% of Black people and 37.1% of Hispanics received the vaccine. 44% of Asian people were vaccinated. A study conducted in Orange County of the 2015-16 flu season produced very similar breakdowns in people vaccinated.

The flu vaccine will be available as a shot or mist form at the Family Health Clinics by appointment only, 8 AM - 11:30 AM and 1 PM - 4 PM, Monday - Friday. Clinics are closed 11:30 AM - 1 PM. People who live in the County should call 1-800-914-4887 for an appointment. There will also be flu pop-up clinics throughout the community that will be listed here.

The similarities in symptoms between the flu and COVID-19 are startling. HCA's website features a lot of important resources about the similarities and differences between the two illnesses, as well as treatment and prevention. In order to mitigate the spread of the flu, I urge people to read these materials and get the shot as soon as possible!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noted that COVID-19 can affect adolescents directly and indirectly. Beyond getting sick, many adolescents’ social, emotional and mental well-being has been impacted by the pandemic. The County is doing everything we can to offer vital assistance in these unprecedented times.

To that end, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is launching a student-driven, app-based platform – blucky – that will offer teens a diverse collection of features with creative outlets and access to mental health resources. 

More than ever, young people are struggling to cope with mental health stressors – especially while managing through the COVID-19 pandemic. This prompted the HCA to seek new and innovative solutions to offer needed support.

HCA is working closely with Orange County school leaders to actively engage local students in providing input before bplucky’s Phase I soft launch on December 30, 2020. This is an important period of student involvement and app development.

Within bplucky’s Phase I app launch, features such as “The Surge” will greet users with ongoing inspirational quotes when logging on to the app. “Share Your Story” gives teens the opportunity to post personal videos about the challenges or issues they’ve successfully worked through; this includes 24/7 monitoring for any inappropriate language, images, etc. posted. And, unique to the bplucky app is “The Lookout”– a resource section that offers students a directory of mental health apps and hotlines to choose from.

Click the image above for more info.

Recognizing the stresses that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is having on OC residents, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has launched three new mental health awareness campaigns, with the first one aimed at reducing the stigma in support of wellness and recovery, as the other two are focused on suicide prevention.

Introduced a year ago, StigmaFreeOC has launched a new advertising and community outreach campaign,  addressing the stigma surrounding mental illness and alcohol and drug misuse so everyone in the community is supported in getting the help that they need. Engaging 15-second video ads show a person’s face veiled by animated swirls of textured colors, then transitioning to reveal the human face with the poignant message: See the person not the condition.

Reducing the stigma associated with these conditions is even more important, as many adults are reporting specific negative impacts on their mental health and wellbeing, such as “... increases in alcohol consumption or substance use (12%), and worsening chronic conditions (12%), due to worry and stress over the coronavirus," according to Kaiser Family Foundation.

Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn will be used as the primary platforms for promoting the Stigma Free OC campaign along with digital and print ads in Orange County. The campaign website, StigmaFreeOC.com, provides behavioral health resources as well as the opportunity to sign a pledge to support a stigma-free community in Orange County. Individuals and organizations that take the StigmaFreeOC pledge are listed on the website.  

In addition, the first suicide prevention campaign, Help is Here, focusing on adult males, will roll out in early November and run through the end of the year targeting the holiday season, which has historically shown greater incidents of suicide. The campaign includes outdoor billboards, television and radio spots, transit shelter ads, digital and social media placements. Multiple ad executions were created to reflect real men representing this high-risk group. 

Suicide is also a major concern when it comes to young people. According to the American Association of Suicidology, suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year-olds. The Be A Friend For Life campaign directs youth to reach out to friends who exhibit warning signs of suicide and seek professional support.

The campaign targets youth ages 15 to 22-years old, with a specific focus on the LGBTQ+, foster youth and high-achiever demographics who are at higher-risk for suicide. The campaign will appear in transit shelters, and digital and social media.

COVID-19 has brought to the forefront many of the behavioral health issues people were already facing before the pandemic. We hope that by raising awareness and providing critical resources, we can help turn someone’s life around, and give them an opportunity for a brighter future.

For more on these campaigns, please visit:

• StigmaFreeOC.com
• HelpIsHereOC.com
• BeAFriendForLife.com

For more information about mental health and suicide prevention resources, visit OC Health Care Agency’s Behavioral Health Services. 

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 used by scammers for COVID-19.

Be on the lookout for fake calls, texts, and emails
Scammers are pretending to be Social Security Agency employees. They may threaten you and demand immediate payment to avoid arrest or other legal action. Do not be fooled!

Additionally, a large-scale coronavirus scam has erupted, as impostors are filing claims for unemployment benefits using names of people who have not filed claims. Victims learn about the fraud when they get a notice from their state unemployment benefits office or employer about their supposed application for benefits.

Sadly, people exploiting older adults are often family members or other trusted people who are handling the financial affairs of an incapacitated parent, relative or friend. As such, caregivers and assisted living and nursing facilities can also work together to help protect elderly residents from financial exploitation, both during the pandemic and after life returns to a new normal.

Lastly, if you’re having trouble paying your rent during the coronavirus pandemic, there are relief options and protections available for many renters.

Hoag and JWA officials have announced plans for the Fly Well Clinic, a first-of-its-kind health care facility will offer travelers health services including office visits, telehealth consultations, immunizations, treatment of cold and flu symptoms and prescriptions.

The partnership represents the first airport health clinic in Orange County and comes at a time of heightened health awareness among passengers and Airport employees.

In advance of the Fly Well Clinic’s official opening next spring, Hoag is currently hosting a Pop-Up Health Fair at JWA.  Located across from Gate 10 in Terminal B (post security), Hoag will offer Airport guests complimentary flu vaccinations and screenings, nutrition and exercise tips for travelers, virtual reality health demonstrations and more.

Hoag Pop-Up Health Fair currently at JWA. 

The permanent 850-square-foot Fly Well Clinic, opening in spring 2021, will offer an onsite licensed health care provider, general health and wellness information and other services, including:

• On-site office visits
• Treatment of cold and flu symptoms
• Rapid COVID-19 testing
• Vaccinations – including flu shots
• Virtual Reality demonstration, including relaxation and mindfulness journeys
• Blood pressure and other vital screenings
• On demand telehealth appointments

The Fly Well Clinic also will provide travelers and Airport employees with the ability to access Hoag doctors through on-demand telehealth appointments including video visits.

As the spread and far reaching impacts of COVID-19 continue to 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 What You Feel is Real webpage. 

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’

Bring the family to Outlets at San Clemente this holiday season to take a photo under the World's Tallest Christmas Tree and enjoy the wonder of their Nightly Snow Shows, as well as other Holiday Festivities. For more information, click on the image below.

Click the image above for more info.

Enjoy a yuletide tradition at home with South Coast Repertory’s audio recording of Charles Dickens’ classic novella, "A Christmas Carol," which is now ready for your listening pleasure through December 31.

Performed by SCR Founding Member Richard Doyle with a vibrant soundscape to transport you back to 19th-century London, this uplifting tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his miraculous transformation is the perfect cure for the holiday humbugs! For more information, click here or on the image below.

Click image above to listen to "A Christmas Carol."

Although Pacific Symphony has suspended live concerts in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall as a public health precaution, Pacific Symphony will stay in touch online, serving up culture and entertainment.

Their Watch+Listen page provides you with a central overview for all of the Symphony’s offerings online! Check back regularly as new musical experiences are continuously being added!

Pacific Symphony performing with Pacific Chorale.

In their first self-produced virtual choir, Pacific Chorale sings a stirring performance of Bobby McFerrin's heartfelt setting of The 23rd Psalm, dedicated to his mother, Sara. Sara McFerrin was an accomplished singer, veteran music educator here in Orange County, and a longtime Board member of Pacific Chorale. She passed away last December 2019.

Sara and Bobby McFerrin

Pacific Chorale dedicates this virtual performance of The 23rd Psalm (Dedicated to My Mother) to all who have suffered illness and loss due to COVID-19. To view the video, click on the image below.

Click the image above to view the video.

Cirque du Soleil is proud to present an escape from everyday life through the delight and whimsy of their shows, including 'Twas The Night Before Christmas! Now more than ever, they want to do their little part to spread joy, even from afar, directly to your safe spaces. Let them welcome you into their world, where awe-inspiring show footage and fan favorite videos will transport you. Click the image below and enjoy the show!

Click the image above and enjoy the show!