Covid-19 Information from the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA)

What you should know:

• COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath — and may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

• Person-to-person spread mainly occurs from contact with an infected person coughing or sneezing (similar to the flu).

• In rare cases, it may be possible that COVID-19 can be transmitted by touching an infected surface or object.

• Seniors and individuals with previous medical conditions or have compromised immune systems take precaution.

What the City of Los Angeles is doing:

• The Department of Cultural Affairs is monitoring the breaking news about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and aware of, and will respond to, inquiries coming in from the field.

• To that end, the City of Los Angeles has declared a local emergency to access additional resources that will help our region prepare and has imposed a ban on events taking place at public facilities which includes DCA art centers, theaters, galleries, and historic sites.

• The City’s activated our City Emergency Operations Center to Level 3, the lowest level of activation to assist with monitoring and coordinating the City’s planning, preparedness, and response efforts with City departments and other partner agencies.

• The City is working closely with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) and the County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to share updates, guidance, and information on COVID-19.

• The City is reviewing and updating its Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP) to determine if, and how, to continue operations and deliver essential services by asking all Departments to prepare telework plans.

• The Port of Los Angeles and San Pedro Bay Complex are on heightened alert. The Coast Guard is assessing all inbound vessels to determine whether the vessel has visited a country impacted by COVID-19 within the last five ports of call. Vessel operators are required to report ill crewmembers and passengers within 15 days of arrival to any U.S. port.

• LAX is following the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and L.A. County DPH — including screening travelers with possible exposure and following best practices to keep travelers and employees safe. This includes installing more than 250 more hand sanitizer stations and using virus and bacteria-killing disinfectants throughout the airport. The City is cleaning public areas and restrooms at least once per hour, and increasing deep cleaning — focusing on high touch areas like handrails, escalators, elevator buttons and restroom doors. The City is also adding signage with information on COVID-19 symptoms and how to reduce the spread of illness.

What you can do:

• Take precautions: If you are sick, stay home. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Cover your cough or sneeze. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Get a flu shot to prevent the flu, which has similar symptoms to COVID-19. If you have recently traveled in an area with COVID-19 infections and are showing symptoms, monitor your health and seek guidance from a medical professional. Currently, the CDC and DPH are not recommending personal face masks be used by people who do not have prolonged exposure to individuals identified as at risk.

• Plan ahead: Living in earthquake country, we know the importance of personal preparedness on any given day. Have extra food, water, medical supplies, and emergency kits at your home and at your place of work. Talk to your family, friends, and neighbors to develop emergency plans.

• Stay informed: In addition to talking to your supervisor, stick with official sources for accurate and up-to-date information, including CDC.gov, PublicHealth.LACounty.gov, and LAMayor.org/Coronavirus. If you haven’t already, sign up for NotifyLA Emergency Alarts from the City of Los Angeles at NotifyLA.org.