COVID-19 Health and Safety

Riverside County Public Health officials are monitoring the latest news and updates about coronavirus and related issues, and are providing near daily updates on their website:

Riverside County Public Health Website for the Coronavirus

Riverside County Health Website Home Page

On March 10, 2020, Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser announced that due to concerns about COVID-19, the two music festivals scheduled for April in Indio were cancelled. In their efforts to evaluate options for continuing with the concerts, producer Goldenvoice approached the City of Indio about postponing the festivals for a date in the fall of 2020, and a decision was made to reschedule the Stagecoach and Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festivals for October. More information about the concerts can be found here.

While the coronavirus is a relatively new medical challenge, the agencies entrusted to coordinate this response – including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization (WHO) and major medical institutions – are following long-established protocols for managing an infectious disease medical outbreak. All of these agencies, including the City of Indio staff, have trained for decades on how to work through these emergency scenarios. We are carefully doing so, and will take whatever measures are called for at the times that are appropriate for those decisions. There are no shortcuts to these practices.

We will continue to provide additional information as we are aware. For now, we suggest that residents and visitors throughout the Coachella Valley follow the practices and information being provided daily by our Riverside County Public Health Department and by State and Federal agencies. For further information regarding those practices, please see the links below.

A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. Human Coronavirus Types

A diagnosis with coronavirus 229E, NL63, OC43, or HKU1 is not the same as a COVID-19 diagnosis. Patients with COVID-19 will be evaluated and cared for differently than patients with common coronavirus diagnosis.

This virus was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The first infections were linked to a live animal market, but the virus is now spreading from person-to-person. It’s important to note that person-to-person spread can happen on a continuum. Some viruses are highly contagious (like measles), while other viruses are less so. The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily and sustainably in the community (“community spread”) in some affected geographic areas. Community spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected.

It is not yet known whether weather and temperature impact the spread of COVID-19. Some other viruses, like the common cold and flu, spread more during cold weather months but that does not mean it is impossible to become sick with these viruses during other months. At this time, it is not known whether the spread of COVID-19 will decrease when weather becomes warmer. There is much more to learn about the transmissibility, severity, and other features associated with COVID-19 and investigations are ongoing.

Riverside County’s Board of Supervisors recently announced advancement into the Governor's accelerated Stage 2 recovery. The County has provided "Guidelines for Safe Reopening." Businesses anticipating a reopening are expected to complete and implement a "Safe Reopening Plan" to address employee and customer health measures.

For more information on what is allowed to be open, and with what types of restrictions, please monitor the State of California's modified Stay-At-Home order regarding Stage 2.5 reopening activity.

Yes. However, days and times are subject to change. Please contact individual stores for the most updated information. As of May 1, these local stores have provided the following hours to help protect those who are older from mingling with the general public.

El Super (81691 CA-111, Indio) - 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Smart & Final (La Quinta & Coachella) - 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Cardenas Market (82266 US Highway 111, Indio) - 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Target (La Quinta) - 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Stater Brothers (81056 CA-111, Indio) - 7:45 a.m.

Vons (La Quinta) - 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Walmart (81056 CA-111, Indio) - 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. (Starting Tuesday, March 24)

Costco (La Quinta) - 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. (Monday – Friday only)

Ralphs and Food 4 Less are not do not have special hours for senior citizens to shop. However, if there is a line, seniors will get priority to enter the store first.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided an interactive map for the purpose of issuing travel related health notices. You can watch and monitor the risk assessment level throughout the Continental U.S. here. To view live updates on cases worldwide, please visit.

On March 13, Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser ordered the closure of the county’s schools through June 19, 2020. This order has now been amended to keep local orders in place for primary schools (i.e., grades K-12), and remove local restrictions on higher education and vocational schools.

Yes. Riverside County's Board of Supervisors has also also voted that beginning May 9, 2020, face coverings and six feet of social distancing will be strongly recommended whenever practical and within reason. See this link for details.