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West Covina health officer briefs council on surge in respiratory viruses as city presses for local health department approval
Summary
City Health Officer Dr. Basel told the council that influenza, RSV and COVID-19 activity are elevated in California and urged vaccination and hygiene. Separately, staff updated the council on the multiyear effort to establish a West Covina Health Department and the remaining budget and next steps toward provisional state recognition.
West Covina Health Officer Dr. Basel told the City Council on Feb. 18 that the city is seeing elevated respiratory illness activity and urged residents to vaccinate and follow basic hygiene and isolation guidance.
Dr. Basel said state and federal data show a “triple epidemic” of flu, COVID-19 and RSV, with norovirus also contributing to what public-health officials are calling a QuadDemic. He said the dominant COVID-19 lineage was XEC (about 45 percent in recent sequencing), that several influenza deaths have been reported, and that RSV remains high. He recommended vaccination where appropriate, early antiviral treatment for high-risk patients and standard infection controls such as handwashing, surface disinfection with chlorine solutions for norovirus and staying home when ill.
The briefing transitioned into a broader update on the city’s multiyear effort to create a municipal health department. City Manager Paulina Morales and Dr. Basel said West Covina has been working with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) since 2021 on an application and regulatory package. The city has executed contracts that staff said are needed for initial capability — for example, the city has a public-health laboratory services agreement with the City of Long Beach — and has completed an emergency management plan, public health emergency preparedness and other deliverables CDPH expects.
City staff provided a budget summary for the health-department project: the contract authorization total cited in staff materials is $598,190; total invoiced to date is about $498,501.34, leaving a balance of about $99,688.66. Dr. Basel said the regulation package has completed several state review steps and is currently undergoing a Department of Finance economic analysis; CDPH has not given a firm schedule for when the state will open a public-comment period or accept new local health departments.
Councilmembers pressed staff on an implementation timeline and whether the city could begin limited inspection services (for example, restaurant or hotel inspections) before full state recognition. Dr. Basel and the city attorney said staff will pursue a negotiated approach with CDPH and will send a formal letter to clarify the items the city can lawfully begin on a provisional basis; the city manager and attorney said they would return with a proposed approach and timeline.
Council members also discussed funding. Several members emphasized that any new expenditures or re‑allocations related to the health department should come to the Council for review. City Manager Morales and Finance staff confirmed that future budget amendments and contract changes would be presented to Council, and that many health‑department activities would ultimately be supported by grants or special funds rather than the general fund.
Councilwoman Diaz and others thanked Dr. Basel for the public‑facing outreach work the health team has done during the last three years, including health fairs, vaccination events and school‑nurse training. The council asked staff to return with more-detailed estimates of remaining funding needs and a near‑term plan to determine which inspection services, if any, could be phased in before CDPH finalizes its regulatory steps.
