Coronavirus (COVID-19) Case Tallies and Deaths in Ventura County, California and the World (2022)

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This page will be updated periodically with information on Ventura County area cases from www.venturacountyrecovers.org, U.S. cases from the CDC and global cases from the World Health Organization (WHO).

This post covers statistics in 2022. 2020 case tallies are at THIS LINK and 2021 are at THIS LINK.

Note that previously reported case counts are subject to changes and updates. We report initial case counts reported on these sites that in particular in the global stats change over time. For more accurate up to date counts at the global level, visit the WHO website at who.sprinklr.com.

VCTC Intercity Provides Bus Service Throughout Ventura County and Adjacent Areas

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The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) operates VCTC Intercity (formerly called VISTA) bus service throughout Ventura County as well as to Santa Barbara and Warner Center.

Routes and links to associated schedules:

  • Highway 101/Conejo (Routes 50-52) - Covers Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks.

  • Highway 126 (Routes 60-62) - Covers Fillmore, Santa Paula, Saticoy, Ventura.

  • East County (Routes 70-73) - Covers Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks.

  • Cross County Limited (Route 77 - Mon-Fri Only) - Covers Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Somis, Moorpark, Simi Valley

  • Coastal Express (Routes 80-89) - Covers Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta and UCSB.

  • Channel Islands (Routes 90-99) - Covers Oxnard, CSU Channel Islands, Camarillo

Service hours vary by route, but overall VCTC Intercity operates between 4:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weekdays, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays/Sundays, depending on the route. VCTC Intercity does not operate on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

As of July 2022 one way fares are as follows:

  • Zone 1 - In Ventura County (Highway 101, Highway 126, East County, Channel Islands, Cross County Limited Routes) - $1.75 per fare

  • Zone 2 - Out of Ventura County (Coastal Express Route) - $4 per fare.

  • Children under 5 are free with a paying customer.

More fare information at www.goventura.org/vctc-transit/fares-passes.

Visit www.goventura.org to learn more and to map out your route.

Summary of the California Homemade Food Act aka "Cottage Food" Bill

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In September 2012, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB1616, the California Homemade Food Act, that became effective January 1, 2013.

The law enables home food business entrepreneurs to run businesses, referred to as Cottage Food Operations, without being subject to the same level of regulation as commercial restaurants and bakeries. Before the law was passed, home cooks were required to rent part of a retail kitchen to prepare their products, among other things.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) maintains a list of certain “non-potentially hazardous” foods that can be prepared within and sold from a private home, provided certain requirements are met. County Environmental Health Divisions are responsible for overseeing Cottage Food Operation permits. To learn more about obtaining this permit in Ventura County, visit vcrma.org/en/cottage-home-food-operations.

How to Qualify as a Cottage Food Operation:

  • You prepare or package cottage food products at home.

  • Your cottage food product(s) are on the state approved list (summary below).

  • You have one or fewer full-time equivalent employees, excluding immediate family an household members.

  • Your gross annual sales of cottage food are not more than $75,000 for “Class A” foods and $150,000 for “Class B” foods. These amounts were updated effective 1/1/2022 and will be adjusted annually for inflation.

    • Class A: You only engage in direct sales of cottage foods to customers (e.g. at events, farmers’ markets, etc.).

    • Class B: You engage in both direct and indirect sales (e.g. through a third party retailer, like a restaurant or retail shop).

  • You file for proper permitting with Ventura County Environmental Health Division.

Approved Cottage Foods:

The CDPH maintains a list of food that are deemed to be non-potentially hazardous as “cottage foods.” These are foods that do not support the rapid growth of microorganisms or toxins that could make people sick when the food is held outside time and temperature control.

  • Baked goods without cream, custard or meat fillings - examples include bagels, baklava, biscuits, bread, brownies, buns, cake, churros, coconut macaroons, cookies, crackers, cupcakes, donuts, empanadas (fruit only), flatbreads, fruit, nut or seed bars, macarons (with approved buttercream), muffins, pastries, pies (fruit only), samosas (fruit only), tamales (fruit only), tarts, torillla, torts and waffles.

  • Candy and confections (too many examples)

  • Extracts containing at least 70 proof or 35% food grade for human consumption alcohol.

  • Dried, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods

  • Frostings, icings, fondants and gum pastes that do no contain eggs, cream or cream cheese

  • Honey and sorghum syrups

  • Fruit butters, jams, jellies

  • Nuts, nut mixes and nut butters

  • Powdered drink mixes made from manufactured ingredients

  • Vinegars and mustards

And there you have it. So if you’re wondering why that pie vendor at the farmers’ market is only selling fruit pies, now you know why.

Level 4 Emergency Water Conservation Measures Go Into Effect by June 1, 2022 (Conejo Valley Water Providers)

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Here is a compilation of Level 4 water conservation measures issued by local water providers in the Conejo Valley and some surrounding areas that are to go into effect on June 1, 2022.

California American Water Announcement:

Due to the significant statewide drought conditions severely reducing water supplies to Southern California Emergency Water Conservation Measures will go into effect on June 1, 2022.

The Metropolitan Water District and Calleguas Municipal Water District (California American Water’s wholesaler) have passed down requirements to limit watering to one-day-per-week.

On June 1, 2022, California American Water’s Ventura County District customers should follow the below updated watering schedule.

Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Camarillo Customers Watering Schedule

ONE-DAY-A-WEEK
Residential Odd Address (Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Saturday
Residential Even Address (Addresses ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, 0): Sunday
Non-residential (including multi-family apartments, retail and commercial properties, churches, schools, and parks): Wednesday
No Watering Monday through Friday for Residential Properties
To avoid evaporation, we recommend customers please water outdoors before 9:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m.
Watering is limited to a total of 15 minutes per station per allowed day
Hand watering with a garden hose/nozzle and Low-flow irrigation systems (Including drip irrigation and micro spray) that emits less than two gallons per hour are exempt from day of week and time limitation except for irrigation of turf
Turf grass irrigation (irrigation timer or garden hose) only permissible on allowed watering day

www.amwater.com/caaw/Conservation/District-Resources/Ventura/

City of Thousand Oaks Water Announcement on May 25th

City of Thousand Oaks Water announced the adoption of Level 4 water conservation measures effective immediately. The city indicates it must reduce water use by 50% to avoid banning all outdoor water use later this year. More details at www.toakswater.org.

Irrigation

  1. Watering hours: NO watering allowed between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

  2. Watering days: One day per week; Saturday for odd-numbered addresses and Sunday for even-numbered (and no) addresses.

  3. Extra irrigation day for specific permitted uses: Wednesday is the allowed extra day for active playing fields, active play areas at licensed daycare centers, golf course greens and fairways, school play fields, vegetable gardens less than 300 SF, engineered slopes, and fuel modification zones.

  4. Trees and shrubs: Hand-watering is allowed on additional days to keep trees and shrubs alive, as necessary. Hand-watering includes the use of a hand-held bucket or similar container, or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive self-closing water shut-off nozzle or device.

  5. Fix leaks, breaks, or malfunctions within 48 hours.

  6. No excessive water runoff or overspray.

  7. Rainfall: No irrigation during and within 48 hours after rainfall measuring 0.25 inches or more.

  8. Low volume system: Irrigating with other than low volume systems or hand-watering is prohibited except for active school and public playing fields, active play areas at licensed daycare centers, golf course greens and fairways, engineered slopes, and fuel modification zones.

  9. Sprinkler systems: Traditional sprinklers (other than low volume) may be used only until July 31, 2022, to provide 60 days for transitioning sprinkler systems to low volume. Sprinklers are subject to the one day per week watering restriction with a limit of 15-minutes of watering per irrigation zone.

Other Requirements

  1. No washing down hard or paved surfaces.

  2. Vehicle washing: Use of potable water for washing vehicles at home, by mobile services, and for community events is prohibited.

  3. Water misters: Use of water misters is prohibited.

  4. Swimming pool covers: Outdoor swimming pools shall be covered when not in use.

  5. Swimming pools and spas: Draining and re-filling pools and spas of more than one foot with potable water is prohibited. A City waiver is required to drain pools and spas for leak repairs.

  6. Ornamental lakes, ponds, or running-water features: Filling or re-filling ornamental lakes, ponds, or running-water features with potable water is prohibited, except to sustain aquatic life of significant value.

  7. Dust Suppression: Potable water use for dust suppression is prohibited unless approved through a City waiver.

See full press release at www.toaks.org/Home/Components/News/News/13578/993.

California Water Service Announcement:

(Cal Water's Westlake District was formed in 1983 with the purchase of the Westlake Water Company. Cal Water purchases imported surface water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) through Calleguas Municipal Water District.)

Stage 2 Irrigation Day Restrictions:

  • Street address ending in odd number: Watering allowed on Tuesday and Saturday

  • Street address ending in even number or no number: Watering allowed on Wednesday and Sunday

  • Exceptions: Landscape that uses exclusively drip and/or micro-spray irrigation systems, irrigating with hand-held bucket or similar container, with continuously monitored hose fitted with shut-off nozzle.

  • Penalties: 1st violation - real-time water measurement device installed on customer meter. 2nd violation $50 penalty. 3rd violation $100 penalty. 4th violation or egregious violation - flow restricting device installed.

  • Conservation rebates for high efficiency clothes washer, toilet, smart irrigation controller, high efficiency sprinkler nozzles, lawn to garden and spray to drip.

  • Lawn to garden program: $3 per sq ft of lawn removed, with 50% converted to drought-tolerant landscaping.

  • Spray to drip program: $.50 per sq ft of landscaping converted from standard spray irrigation system to drip system.

calwater.com/conservation and calwater.com/drought

Calleguas Municipal Water District Announcement:

(Calleguas Municipal Water District (Calleguas) operates as a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan). Metropolitan provides Calleguas with imported water supplies, which Calleguas in turn distributes on a wholesale basis to water agencies that serve the communities and cities (Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard, and Port Hueneme) in southeast Ventura County. Imported water supplies account for approximately 80 percent of all potable water uses in this area.)

Mandatory Irrigation Watering Schedule for Ventura County Waterworks Districts 1 (Moorpark), 17 (Bell Canyon), 19 (Somis) and 38 (Lake Sherwood) Customers

  • Even numbered addresses: Sundays only

  • Odd numbered addresses: Saturdays only

  • Only applies to non-functional, ornamental turf (lawns) and excludes turf located in parks, sports fields, and school playground fields.

  • Hand watering or efficient drip irrigation of trees, shrubs and/or plants is permitted as needed to support their health and ability to recover.

  • No irrigation between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

  • Irrigate no more than 15 minutes per zone (does not apply to low-flow drip irrigation).

  • Does not apply to areas that are irrigated with recycled water.

  • Applies to all customer classifications except agriculture.

  • Residential Swimming Pools and Spas: Refilling of more than one foot and initial filling of residential swimming pools and spas is prohibited. Those with an already approved building permit (as of 5/31/22) for a pool or spa are exempt from this prohibition.

  • Penalties: 1st violation - written notice of violation. 2nd violation - $100 if within 12 months of 1st violation. 3rd violation - $250. 4th violation - $500.

www.vcpublicworks.org/wsd/waterconservation

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

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To apply for federal student aid, such as federal grants, work-study, and loans, you, the student, need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

In addition, many states and colleges use your FAFSA information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid.

The FAFSA is available in October of the year prior to the year you will be starting college in the fall, so high school seniors and their parents should be prepared to fill them out then.

You can complete and submit the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov. While our government encourages us to complete the FAFSA forms online, they still allow you the old fashioned option of completing a form and mailing it in. See studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out for a downloadable pdf.

Technically the FAFSA form is the student’s form, but if you are a dependent student, you will need information from your parents in the form. Here are the steps you need to take, and some (but not all) of the information required to fill out the FAFSA form.

  1. Create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID, which is a user name and password you and your dependent student will use to complete the FAFSA form online. Both the student and the parent must create their own FSA IDs. Your FSA ID serves as your legal electronic signature, so be sure to keep it private like other passwords.

    When creating an FSA ID, keep in mind you cannot use an email address or mobile phone number with more than one FSA ID.

    Create your new FSA ID at fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm.

    And just so you are aware ahead of time, your username must be 6 to 30 characters long and can be any combination of numbers and letters. The username is not case-sensitive. Your password must be 8 to 30 characters and contain at least one number, uppercase letter and lowercase letter. The password is case-sensitive.

  2. Start the FAFSA form at fafsa.gov. You can start the process on behalf of your child. Be sure not to sign in at the same time as your child. You can create a “save key,” which is a temporary password that allows you and your child to alternative editing the form.

  3. Fill in the Student Demographics section of the form, such as name, date of birth, etc. Be sure to use the same name as on the Social Security card – no nicknames.

  4. Select the schools that you want the FAFSA information sent to.

  5. Answer the dependency status questions. Answering yes to any of the questions means you will not have to provide parental information. For example, if you were born before January 1, 1999 or the 2022-2023 academic period, you are considered independent for FAFSA purposes. Or if you are married, are on active military duty, will be working on a master’s degree, etc., you are considered independent.

  6. Fill out the parent demographics section – there is a series of questions here regarding your parents’ status that drive what information is required for the form.

  7. Financial information must be provided. There is a link to the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) that allows you to import your tax information to the FAFSA form. Your child will also need to do this if he or she files taxes.

    In addition to your tax return(s), the FAFSA form will require information about untaxed income, such as child support received and interest income. You will also be asked to provide information about cash, bank balances, investments and business assets. Investments also include real estate held for sale (excluding principal residence), 529 college savings plans, etc. You do not need to include the value of 401k, IRA and other retirement plans.

  8. Sign the form.

There’s a handy FAFSA worksheet for the 2022-2023 school year at studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-23-fafsa-worksheet.pdf for those looking to review what is required in advance of completing the form.

Additionally, a pdf of the 10 page form (with notes) for the 2022-2023 academic year is at studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-23-fafsa.pdf.

Apply to FEMA for COVID-19 Related Funeral Expenses

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting applications for funeral assistance and reimbursement through its COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.

This assistance is limited to a maximum financial amount of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application. The COVID-19-related death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

The Helpline is 844-684-6333 and is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

Examples of eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to:

  • Transportation for up to two individuals to identify the deceased individual

  • Transfer of remains

  • Casket or urn

  • Burial plot or cremation niche

  • Marker or headstone

  • Clergy or officiant services

  • Arrangement of the funeral ceremony

  • Use of funeral home equipment or staff

  • Cremation or interment costs

  • Costs associated with producing and certifying multiple death certificates.

  • Additional expenses mandated by and applicable local or state government laws or ordinances.

The information you will be required to provide to FEMA to apply for this assistance includes:

  • Your name, Social Security Number, date of birth, mailing address and contact phone numbers.

  • Name, Social Security Number and date of birth for each deceased individual.

  • Location or address where the individual died.

  • Copy of death certificate that indicates the death was caused by, “may have been caused by,” or “was likely a result of” COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms.

    • If the death certificate was issued between January 20 and May, 2020 and does not list COVID-19 as a cause of death, you may submit the death certificate with a signed statement from the original certifier of the death that attributes the death to COVID-19..

  • Documentation and receipts for funeral assistance received from other sources, including burial or funeral insurance, donations, other government programs or non-profit organizations.

After you contact FEMA and apply, you can then submit documents either:

  • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov

  • Via fax at 855-261-3452

  • By mail at COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, P.O. Box 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782.

Visit FEMA.gov/funeral-assistance/faq for additional information.

You cannot apply online. The call will take about 20 minutes.

If you are approved for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, you will receive funds by direct deposit or a check by mail, depending on which option you chose when you applied for assistance.

California Minimum Wages Increased by $1 Per Hour on January 1, 2022

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If you are a minimum wage earner in California, on January 1, 2022 you received a pay increase of either 7.7% or 7.1%.

It depends on if your employer has 25 or fewer employees or 26 or more employees. If you work for a smaller employer, the California minimum wage increased from $13 to $14 per hour. If you work for a larger employer, your wage increased from $14 to $15 per hour.

California minimum wage rates have increased from $10/hour (small employers) and $10.50/hour (larger employers) in 2017 to the current day rates by law to $15 over 5 (large employers) to 6 (small employers) years. Large employers are now at the $15 target rate. Small employers are planned to escalate one more dollar to $15/hour on January 1, 2023.

The federal minimum wage for 2022 is still $7.25, a rate unchanged since it became effective on July 24, 2009.

California minimum wage rates apply to Ventura County residents. But City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles minimum wage rates are currently also $15/hour for all employers.

Looking for a higher minimum wage? Move to San Francisco, where the rate is currently $16.32 per hour and will be adjusted for inflation on July 1, 2022.

Looking for states with minimum wages set at the federal rate of $7.25/hour? That would be Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

California’s minimum wage rate in 2022 is 2nd only to Washington D.C., which is at $15.20. Next closest is Washington at $14.49 and Massachusetts at $14.25