The Ventura County Board of Supervisors COVID update begins soon. Join us here: https://www.ventura.org/board-of-supervisors/agendas-documents-and-broadcasts/

For this week's moment of inspiration, supervisors are recognizing the business community. One quarter of VC's labor force has lost their jobs or had significantly reduced wages since the pandemic started. During the shutdown, 5,000 businesses in VC were closed down.

Public comments: There are 7 public speakers. Long said when anyone is speaking, the audience should let the speaker finish and attendees should show respect.

Supervisor Long asked the first speaker to put on a mask before beginning his comments. The first speaker said it's not the government's job to keep us healthy. "We're the fattest nation on earth. Since when does the government force us to be healthy?"

He said only 4% of COVID fatalities had no comorbidities. He said our immune systems have a good idea of how to coexist with viruses. He suggested treating COVID patients with hydroxychloroquine and vitamins. He said the data doesn't support the government response.

He said because there is only a 4% positive rate for testing and ICU's aren't at capacity, so by definition this is not an emergency.

The second speaker said there is no threat that overwhelms current state resources. He referred to COVID numbers as inflated. He said COVID cannot be called an epidemic. He said the local and state declarations of emergency have expired and not been renewed.

He said BLM activists w/o masks who protested at the county government center were treated better than conservatives w/o masks who protested against the shutdown at the same location.

The third speaker said there's little evidence masks provide protection and in fact cause harm instead. He said asymptomatic transmission is rare. He said this might be the most important issue before the BOS in a generation. He urged supervisors against "group think."

The fourth speaker said she can't wear a mask because she has an exemption for asthma. She said it is "unconstitutional to continue house arrest indefinitely." She said the DOJ will be intervening in federal lawsuits. She said house arrest shuts down livelihoods.

She said when you kill cancer, you're also killing the patient. "You're killing us," she told supervisors.

The fifth speaker said he thinks the Brown Act was violated because members of the public have not been able to comment at meetings in person until recently. He said there's risk from inhaling CO2 while wearing masks.

He said according to the nutritionist who cured his wife of lymphoma, May had the same number of suicides as all of last year. He said public officials keep moving the goal posts. He said respirators contribute to death, not recovery. He called hydroxychloroquine an "antedote."

The sixth speaker is a nurse who works at a career college. She said her school helps create heroes on the front lines. She said online teaching is "virtually impossible." She said students need hands-on experience.

She asked supervisors to recognize nursing students as "essential" so they can go into nursing homes to help staff & fulfill the requirements of their program. She said this is an issue for other nursing schools, too. She said they use PPE. "We don't take this pandemic lightly."

Long asked the seventh speaker, who brought a Trump sign, to wear a mask. The speaker said she couldn't, citing an unspecified medical condition. The speaker said the emergency declaration was in March. "Now we're in June...We're supposed to be in the recovery stages."

She accused officials of deprivation of rights under color of law. She said they risked being arrested for felony fraud. "Our rights have been taken away...I'm asking you to terminate the unlawful health emergency." With her remaining 14 seconds, she told everyone to vote Trump.

The board clerk is reading comments submitted via email.

Email comments: The Simi LULAC said they're glad BOS recognized Juneteenth in Ventura County. LULAC denounced comparisons that have been made between slavery and public health order. They thanked Parks for not allowing the statement to go unchallenged.

Regarding claims of illegality against supervisors, county counsel said Newsom issued an executive order that provides that emergency declarations will remain in place until the state declares the emergency over, negating the need for the board to renew it every 30 days.

He also said the Newsom issued an order allowing meetings to limit public comments to email, phone, etc., so the BOS has been complying with the requirements of the Brown Act.

Supervisor Zaragoza said masks seem to be the most effective way to reduce virus transmission and protect vulnerable family and friends. "I think it's extremely important we protect our seniors and family members." He thanked those who are following state guidelines.

Powers told the rep from the nursing college he would connect her with county staff to make sure students get their necessary hours.

COVID update: Long told the audience not to clap or boo during the staff presentation. CEO Mike Powers said this is a health and economic crisis in our county. He called the increase in hospitalizations alarming.

Powers said over 8,000 businesses, including 1,592 restaurants, have reopened. He said businesses must register before reopening. He said they have been really good about complying with new heath guidelines.

Levin, speaking via Zoom, said some theaters have opened with reduced capacity. For personal care services, both client and worker must wear masks.

Long interrupted Levin's comments to tell a woman in the audience to take her seat. She reminded the audience to act in an appropriate manner.

Levin said the new state face covering guideline does not require people to wear masks outside unless you cannot social distance outdoors.

Levin said the unpleasant reality is we're starting to see signs that we're losing the battle against COVID. He said the state says the increase is no reason to worry. "Well it worries me and it should worry you." He said he sees numbers climb as people gather in large numbers.

He said we excuse misbehaviors like having dinner with friends as being "meaningless." He admits to some breaches himself. "But we must stop." We see businesses opening and we think the pandemic is over. He said high risk activities include dinner parties and chatting.

Levin warned against overwhelming the healthcare system, which would results in unnecessary deaths from COVID and other diseases for lack of an available hospital beds. If things decline, the state will step in and roll back the opening. Levin said he's concerned this'll happen.

Levin said this would result in an enforced quarantine and the loss of more businesses. He said we can work to avoid this future. He said mitigation efforts won't help if we don't stop making more new cases. He said we can still self-quarantine.

Levin said you should choose activity options that are less crowded. He said he could wait a few weeks to say this because he doesn't want to look like he's trying to scare you. "The picture I painted for you needn't happen."

Levin said this is a case of deferring your reward until this "damn situation allows us to have our freedom again."

Still not open:

Long said guidelines are expected in July for high school sports. She asked Levin about youth sports guidelines. Levin said they asked the state, but they have not given an indication of the timeline on that.

Levin said gyms need 12 feet of social distancing because gyms are full of people exercising and breathing very heavily and thus more likely to produce droplets and aerosols that could infect others.

Long said weddings are allowed, but not receptions and what is the difference between that and going to dinner. She asked Levin about that. He said that the state hasn't shared their thinking on why receptions are not approved yet.

Parks said as long as we maintain a 6-foot distance outdoors, masks are not required. She asked if it is up to agencies like NPS to enforce, or if it's up to law enforcement. Levin said it's up to each place to enforce. He said it would take too much police time.

Parks said society is getting lax but it really does take "an agreement with society to enact this" otherwise we'll have to go back to sheltering in place. She said w/o enough rangers & deputies, it requires all of us to prevent a "catastrophe." She said masks are "essential."

Long interrupts the meeting to inform a member of the audience to observe social distancing. Signs have been placed on seats that are closed. She asked audience members to not move the signs. "I don't understand why you wouldn't comply."

Long asked a member of the audience to move to a chair that is socially distanced. "I'm asking very kindly." She informed him there are other places from which to watch the meeting. She said if the man doesn't move, we'll take a brief recess.

The member of the audience refused to move. Long reminded him there was a sheriff's deputy present. He still didn't move. Long called a recess.

The man who refused to move to a socially distanced seat was wearing a cowboy hat. I can’t see if it’s Bruce Boyer.

Long has cleared the board room.

Staff has re-entered the board room. Long apologized for the interruption. She said she felt it was important that everyone was acting in a safe and respectful manner. Zaragoza called it a health and safety issue.

Public Health Director of Ventura County Rigo Vargas said VC has tested 51,000 residents. "Increased capacity continues." There have been 2,131 confirmed cases in VC to date.

Vargas said a few metrics could trigger greater state involvement in VC's COVID recovery. He said we're OK on the testing positivity rate, but not hospitalizations. He said VC has been flagged for the state monitoring list. Yesterday's numbers put us over the allowed range.

Vargas said there is increased community transmission. "That is very concerning." Zaragoza asked if elderly individuals who died with COVID died from COVID. Vargas said the virus' effects contributed to their death.

Parks asked if we can do tracing within 72 hours. Vargas said we have over 100 contact tracers. They've already obtained over 1,000 leads from infected individuals. He said they contact positive patients within 24 hours, then reach out to contacts.

Parks said contact tracers found a number of contacts stemming from a barbecue. "We do have a swift response team to outbreaks," Vargas said. Vargas said 19 people got infected at a mobile home park BBQ in Oxnard and they have traced 40 close contacts who are now in quarantine.

Vargas said ICU numbers are up, which is an indication of just how sick people are becoming.

Vargas said VC still has around 135 available hospital beds. He said they still have 50 ICU beds available, though not all are currently staffed. 33 people are currently on ventilators.

Vargas said VC's epidemiological, health care and public health indicators are favorable. He asked the public to wear masks, practice social distancing and good personal hygiene with frequent hand washing.

How Ventura County stacks up to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles:

Long got tested for COVID along with her family. Results were negative.

Locations for COVID antibody testing:

Ventura County's testing increase over time: