Local coalitions support Governor Newsom’s recommendation to Imperial County

El Centro, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Local coalitions in Imperial County are voicing their support for the Governor’s recommendation. They believe the county should rely on public health data to take an informed approach to combatting the county’s skyrocketing numbers.

The county currently has a 23 percent test positivity rate. That means nearly a quarter of the valley's 175-thousand residents have contracted the virus.

In addition, more than 500 individuals have been transferred out of imperial county hospitals at a rate of about 15 a day.

Just weeks ago, a group of the county's elected and business leaders asked Governor Newsom to allow more businesses to reopen, But not all valley residents agreed with the county's plan.  

The IV Equity and Justice Coalition teamed up with the Imperial Valley Community Health Coalition to collect nearly two-thousand signatures on a petition opposing the reopening plan. It sent that petition with a plea to Governor Newsom for help from the state. Specifically, the coalition asked Newsom for an expanded emergency declaration to supply the county with vital resources and relief.

I asked, Luis Flores, with the coalition, if the calls for help influenced the Governor’s recommendation to Imperial County.

“We have the sense, that sort of in seeing what has happened in the last two weeks that the experts advising the Governor, sort of, you know, set [forth]. This seems like the appropriate reaction," Flores said.

"We do think that having robust community support sort of indicated to the governor that this position was one that would have support on the ground,” he added.

The coalition thinks it's important to collaborate with county officials to call for more resources and help those who may not be able to protect themselves from the virus.

I reached out to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors for comment:

“Imperial County officials are working in collaboration with the State of California to mitigate impacts of COVID-19 in a way that best protects the health and safety of our residents and visitors that travel in our region each day.  The state has access to many resources that can benefit our region and we will take advantage of every offer.”

- Luis A. Plancarte, Chairman of the Board and District 2 Supervisor