Updated March 31, 2020
Due to the growing concerns involving the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) many precautions are being taken by the City of Villa Park, OUSD and other organizations. This includes the City, OUSD and many other organizations partnering with county-wide organizations and state public health officials to monitor trends and prepare organizations and residents.
Visit the CDC Coronavirus (COVID-19) website for the most up to date information on the outbreak.
See Orange County Coronavirus case counts from OC Health.
Note: OC Health has grouped the City of Villa Park under the “Other” category combined with all other cities with populations under 25k (VP is 6k) and unincorporated areas. The City of Villa Park cannot provide case counts due to OC Health’s restrictions. Villa Park will be broken out on their own once they’ve reached at least five cases which is good news for Villa Park in that there are at most 4 cases in the City thus far.
OC Health Statement: “The number of reported cases in cities with a population of 25,000 and under will be combined and listed as a category labeled “Other.” This is to protect patient confidentiality. Confirmed cases where the city of residence were not reported will be listed as “Unknown.” “
Here are some of the actions taken within Villa Park and the surrounding community:
City of Villa Park
How to get COVID-19 updates from the City of Villa Park:
- Visit the City of Villa Park COVID-19 web page.
- Sign-up for the City of Villa Park newsletter.
- Follow the City of Villa Park on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
After review of the guidelines issued by the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help curtail further spread of COVID-19 in our communities, the following facilities/services have been temporarily suspended:
- Villa Park City Hall Meeting Rooms will be closed and unavailable for use.
- All Orange Unified School District schools in Villa Park are closed to students and all sports and extra-curricular activities are cancelled.
- All Orange County Public Library branches will be closed and all programs will be discontinued from March 16 through March 31, 2020
- Passport application acceptance at Villa Park City Hall has been suspended.
- The Orange County Animal Care will be closed to the public effective immediately.
All closures will be in place until further notice and regular updates will be made as necessary.
Essential services will remain open such as:
- Gas stations
- Pharmacies
- Food: Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants
- Banks
- Laundromats/laundry services
What’s Closed?
- Dine-in restaurants
- Bars and nightclubs
- Entertainment venues
- Gyms and fitness studios
- Public events and gatherings
- Convention Centers
If you are a high risk individual as identified by California Department of Health (over 65, and/or underlying health issues) and are in need of groceries, please call City Hall between the hours of 8am-5pm and the City will try to connect you with resources to get you what you need. If you know of someone in this category, please text or call them to see if they are in need and have them call City Hall. 714.998-1500
Villa Park Library
Based on recommendations from the County of Orange and in concurrence with guidelines issued by the Governor of the state of California, all OC Public Library branches will be closed from March 16 through March 31, 2020 to limit the number of people in a public building and to help curtail further spread of COVID-19 in our communities.
Taste of Villa Park
Originally scheduled for Saturday, March 14, 2020, this event has been postponed. The new date will be announced.
Orange Unified School District
At an emergency meeting 3/13/2020, the Board of Education voted 6-0 (1 absent) to dismiss students from school from Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 27. This two-week dismissal is followed by one-week of Spring Break. Staff will report to work as usual.
Nutrition Services will be serving Grab-N-Go Breakfast starting Monday, March 16 from 8am to 10am & Grab-N-Go Lunch 10am to noon at Handy, California, Esplanade, Taft, Yorba, Lampson, Portola, Orange HS, El Modena HS, & Canyon HS. Secondary sites will serve out of snack bars, not in the cafeteria or multipurpose rooms, to prevent students gathering. Students are not allowed to stay on campus or congregate to consume meals. They should take meals off campus and not gather or use any facilities.
OUSD will be also be opening a Bus feeding site at Bristol and Memory Lane from 10am to noon. A bus will pickup lunches and distribute to students at this location.
All the following school related activities will be suspended until the end of Spring Break (April 6): Large gatherings, no spectators at student events and athletic competitions, use of school facilities by outside organizations and no one is allowed on campus who has traveled outside the country in the past 14 days.
Statement from OUSD Superintendent of Schools:
The safety and health of our students and employees are our number one priority. Based on the new guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regarding “mass gatherings” and the need for social distancing, effective immediately all the following school related activities will be suspended until the end of Spring Break (April 6) or pending further guidance.
- All large student and staff gatherings are postponed, as well as off-campus visits by students and staff to public places where crowds may gather – field trips, conferences, outside travel will be suspended.
- Student events on campus and athletic competitions may continue at this time, though without spectators (until further notice).
- All use by outside organizations of school facilities are suspended.
- Anyone who has traveled outside of the country in the past 14 days is not allowed on school campuses or in administrative offices.
Intended to slow the spread of COVID-19, the updated policy from the California Department of Public Health says “non-essential” gatherings must be limited to no more than 250 people. Smaller events can proceed only if organizers can implement social distancing of 6 feet apart. This guidance does not apply to activities such as attendance at regular school classes, work, or essential services per the CDPH guidelines
I want to clarify that no student, staff member or person associated with OUSD has tested positive for the Coronavirus. It is based on the CDPH Guidance that we are suspending all large gatherings and practicing social distancing measures.
If you have any questions regarding school events, please contact your principal for further direction. Regular school classes and activities will continue unless further guidance is received.
We understand that parents may decide to keep their students home in this situation, however, the standard absence policies apply at this time. Please keep up to date on our notifications regarding online learning and home instruction activities which are under development and will be posted to the website at www.orangeusd.org/COVID-19.
Thank you for your partnership with our schools. Working together we can protect the health of our community and provide accurate information.
Private Schools
Most private schools in the area have taken similar steps to OUSD.
Villa Park Little League
As stated above OUSD has suspended all facility use by outside organizations of school facilities are suspended. VPLL is an outside organization and at this time will have to suspend all activity at Cerro Villa Middle School where games and practices are held until the end of Spring Break (April 6) or pending further guidance. This move will impact all Little Leagues using facilities in the OUSD district.
Events Cancelled/Venues Closed
CHOC Children’s Follies, NCAA Tournament, Big West Tournament, Disneyland (two weeks), California Adventure (two weeks), Honda Center, Angels Stadium
Suspended Leagues
Angels Baseball (at least 2 weeks), Lakers & Clippers (unknown), Anaheim Ducks (unknown).
List of County of Orange Public Services Suspended due to COVID-19
Below is a list of County department closures and suspension of services as of March 16, 2020:
Child Support Services
- Court activities will be curtailed until further notice. Clients may visit the website or call (866) 901-3212 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Clerk-Recorder
- All of the Clerk-Recorder offices in Anaheim, Laguna Hills, Westminster and the Santa Ana Civic Center, including the Old Courthouse, are closed.
- All special Saturday openings are canceled.
- Marriage Services (licenses and ceremonies) are suspended.
- Over-the-counter Document Recording Services are suspended. All recordings may be submitted electronically or via mail.
- Attorney service document recording drop-offs and pick-ups are suspended.
- All professional registrations (process server, photocopier, legal document assistant and unlawful detainer assistant registrations) are suspended.
Health Care Agency
Behavioral Health Services
- Community trainings (i.e. Mental Health First Aid and Crisis Intervention Training) are suspended.
- March Mental Health Board and Mental Health Services Act Steering Committee meetings have been canceled.
- Clients are being screened for symptoms and any client who presents with symptoms is being re-scheduled and referred for a medical appointment.
- Outreach & Engagement staff have suspended their participation in resource fairs.
Office of Care Coordination
- The March Continuum of Care Board and Committee meeting is canceled.
- The March Bridges at Kraemer Community Advisory Board meeting is canceled.
Public Health Services
- California Children Services Medical Therapy Units, which are located on school campuses, are limiting services to medically urgent appointments.
Regulatory/Medical Health Services
- Several hospital food facility inspections have been postponed to minimize operational impact to hospitals.
Human Resource Services
- Human Resource Services (HRS) is significantly reducing and might eliminate in-person testing for candidates currently in the hiring process. HRS will work to accommodate candidates who do not have access to online systems.
- HRS is exploring significantly speeding up the hiring process as allowed per the emergency orders, especially for QC Health Care Agency.
OC Community Resources
Orange County Animal Care
- The shelter in Tustin is closed to the general public effective March 16 to March 31, 2020.
- Owner surrender and managed intake are suspended.
- Adoptions/rescues/fostering will be by appointment only.
OC Community Services
- The senior meal program will change to one or two deliveries per week, with 21 meals dropped off.
- Congregate meal sites are canceled, but brown bag pick-up is open five days a week.
- Veterans Services Office will remain open with three conference rooms to allow for social distancing and sanitation.
- One-Stops will stay open with social distancing.
Orange County Housing Authority
- All face-to-face office visits are suspended starting March 16, 2020. All inquiries and questions should be made via phone call and email. Information will be posted on the OCHA website and at reception.
- All annual inspections will be rescheduled and postponed starting March16, 2020.
- New lease inspections will continue as the units are vacant. All communication with the owner or tenant will be via email/phone call.
- Special inspection will be delayed unless it is essential to the health and safety of the tenant.
- Increase in tenant portion of rent due to income changes will be postponed and re-visit.
OC Housing & Community Development
- Face-to-face and in-person meetings are suspended.
- Health and safety inspections will continue.
- Lease inspection will occur on vacant units.
OC Parks
- Outdoor spaces at OC Parks and restrooms are open.
- Allinterior buildings and the OC Zoo are closed.
- All events/programs and third-party reservations canceled through April 5, 2020.
- New reservations and permits are suspended.
OC Public Libraries
- All library branches are closed effective March 16, 2020, through March 31, 2020.
OC Waste & Recycling
- Effective March 17, 2020, through March 31, 2020, Materials Exchange Programs at OC Waste & Recycling’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers will be closed.
Public Defender
- Out of custody clients have been notified via website to contact their attorneys to see if they can give 977 authority for the attorney to appear on their behalf, removing the need to appear in court themselves.
Social Services Agency
- The Social Services Agency (SSA) has closed the following offices: Aliso Viejo Regional Center
- Anaheim Regional Center
- Central Regional Office
- County Community Service Center
Cypress Regional Center Garden Grove Regional Center Laguna Hills Regional Center Santa Ana Regional Center Warner
- Clients may apply for Medi-Cal, CalFresh and CalWORKs benefits, review case information, request a replacement benefits card and submit verifications, by visiting https://www.mybenefitscalwin.org/ or calling SSA’s Service Center at (800) 281- 9799.
- Clients may apply for General Relief benefits, by calling (800) 281-9799 or by faxing an application to (714) 825-3155.
- Clients may apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or ask questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, by calling (714) 825-3000.
- SSA has received State authorization to waive face-to-face requirements in the CalWORKs program and have moved forward with waiving the in-face requirements for General Relief. Additionally, both California Department of Health Care Services and California Department of Social Services have issued guidance that will allow for expediting benefit issuances.
- This morning, SSA received State Guidance on the Adult Protective Services program, which will allow them to restrict required home visits to just those cases that require an immediate response per current regulations. Additionally, Public Authority is assessing the ability to either postpone or find alternate methods to complete required IHSS provider enrollments.
- SSA will be working with Juvenile Court to explore other options related to court ordered visitation, including ordered monitored visits.
- The Orangewood Children & Family Center (OCFC) will be closed for public access, including visitation and volunteer activities. OCFC operations providing support to children on campus will continue to operate.
Source: OCGov.com