Coachella passes ordinance requiring face covering

The Coachella City Council passed an emergency ordinance Wednesday afternoon that requires residents to wear a face covering when out in a public setting.

The ordinance also requires all businesses to require workers and customers to wear face coverings and display signs informing customers of this policy.

“Unfortunately, Coachella and the rest of the eastern valley remains a hotspot for coronavirus cases,” said Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez. “Until we can get this virus under control, our city will continue to require these reasonable measures to protect the health and safety of people living and working in Coachella.”

The decision comes after the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an ordinance that revoked the county's health orders, including required face covering. The county is now following Governor Newsom's stay-at-home order, which only recommends face coverings and social distancing when going out in public, but it is not required.

Details: Board of Supervisors votes to remove county's restrictions

Since then, La Quinta, Palm Springs, and Desert Hot Springs have each passed an ordinance requiring face coverings. Desert Hot Springs requires it when out in public as does Palm Springs, unless you are able to maintain 6 feet of distance. La Quinta only requires face covering when inside grocery and drug stores.

The city of Coachella has the second most coronavirus cases in the Coachella Valley with 170. The city has also had three coronavirus deaths.

The Coachella Valley has a total of 984 cases and 40 deaths as of May 13. The City of Riverside has the most cases and deaths in the county with 992 cases and 70 deaths.

There is a testing site now open in Coachella, on 85365 Dillon Road. The Coachella site will be open Fridays and Saturdays. Call (833) 624-1097 to set-up a testing appointment.

In addition, Riverside County opened testing sites in  Indio, Blythe, Perris, Riverside, and Lake Elsinore. Call 800-945-6171 to set up an appointment.

The state also opened eight testing sites across Riverside County, including two in the Coachella Valley, that could test 1,000 people every day.

The following locations will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by appointment only:

• Mecca Boys and Girls Club
  91391 66th Ave
  Mecca, Ca
  (County officials confirmed this location will open on Friday, May 8)
• Moses Schaffer Community Center
  21565 Steele Peak
  Perris, CA 92570
• Mead Valley Senior Center
  21091 Rider St., Suite 102
  Perris, CA 92570
• Jurupa Valley Fleet Center 
  5293 Mission Boulevard
  Riverside, CA 92509
• Nellie Weaver Hall
  3737 Crestview
  Norco, CA 92860

The following locations will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

• Lozano Community Center
  12-800 West Arroyo
  Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
  (County officials confirmed this location will open on Friday, May 8)
• Noble Creek Community Center
  390 W. Oak Valley Parkway
  Beaumont, CA 92223
• Valle Vista Community Center
  43935 E. Acacia Ave.
  Hemet, CA 92544\

Appointments at these facilities can be made online by going to https://lhi.care/covidtesting or calling 888-634-1123.

Symptoms

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

You can call the Centers for Disease Control with any questions at 211 and 800–CDC –INFO (800 – 232 – 4636).

If you want to be seen at Eisenhower Health, call their 24-hour coronavirus hotline first at 760-837-8988 or 760-TEST988. Avoid the spread of this illness.

These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, according to the CDC.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.