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NEWS AT SIX-- I'M ALEX BELL-- JESSICA HARRINGTON HAS THENIGHT OFF...TONIGHT'S TOP STORIES..A LOCAL EMERGENCY NOW DECLAREDIN KERN COUNTY --AS CONCERNS RISE ABOUT THECORONAVIRUS -- THE DETAILSFROM THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE TODAYBY COUNTYOFFICIALS...AND -- FROM SCHOOL CLOSURES,EVENT CANCELLATIONSAND ADVISORIES TO WORK AT HOME-- THE INFORMATIONABOUT THE OUTBREAK OF THECORONAVIRUS COULD BETRIGGERING YOUR STRESS ANDANXIETY -- ADVICE FROM HEALTHOFFICIALS ON HOW TO HANDLE ITALL...ALLISON??23ABC NEWS AT SIX STARTS RIGHTNOW...WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH THECLOSURE OF BOTH DIRECTIONSOF INTERSTATE FIVE OVER THEGRAPEVINE -- DUE TO SNOWFALL...ACCORDING TO THE C-H-P TRAFFICINCIDENT PAGE THE CLOSURE MAYLAST FOR AT LEAST TWO TO THREEHOURS...(AD-LIB)THE COLD AIR RUSHING IN WITHTHIS STORM THIS AFTERNOON WILLDROP THE SNOW LEVEL FROM 5,000FEET THIS MORNING TO 3,000THE COLD AIR RUSHING IN WITHTHIS STORM THIS AFTERNOON WILLDROP THE SNOW LEVEL FROM 5,000FEET THIS MORNING TO 3,000 FEETTHIS AFTERNOON.

THAT MEANS WECOULD BE SEEING 2-4INCHES OF SNOW ABOVE 3,000 FEET,BRINGING THE LIKELIHOOD OFACCUMULATING SNOW AT PASS LEVELTHIS EVENING WHICHWILL LIKELY IMPACT TRAVEL OVERTHE 5, THE 58 AND THE 178 OVERWALKER'S PASS.

THE HIGHERELEVATIONS WILL SEE EVEN MORESNOW, WITH 4-8 INCHES OF SNOWPOSSIBLE ABOVE 4,500NOW TO THE LATEST ON THECORONAVIRUS AND ITS GROWINGIMPACT HERE IN KERN COUNTY ANDACROSS THE WORLD...THE PRESIDENT THIS AFTERNOONANNOUNCING TOUGHERGUIDELINES TO SLOW THE SPREAD OFCORONAVIRUS..AMONG OTHER RECOMMENDATIO NS--ASKING PEOPLE TO LIMITGATHERINGS TO NO MORE THAN 10PEOPLE ...AND TONIGHT WE HAVE TEAMCOVERAGE.LEZLA GOODEN IS LIVE IN CENTRALBAKERSFIELD -- SHE SPOKE TO APSYCHOLOGIST ABOUT DEALING WITHTHIS PANDEMIC.BUT FIRST WE START 23ABC'S BAYANWANG JOINING US INSTUDIO WITH THE ANNOUNCMENT OFSCHOOLS CLOSING THISWEEK..

AND HOW OFFICIALS AREHANDLING THE SITUATION.BAYAN??ALEX -- THAT'S RIGHT ALL 47DISTRICTS HERE IN THE COUNTYARE ORDERED TO CLOSE THEIRCAMPUSES BY THE END OF SCHOOLWEDNESDAY.SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THESECLOSURES ARE EXPECTED TOREMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL AT LEASTAPRIL 14TH.THE ANNOUCNMENT TO CLOSE ALLSCHOOLS COMESAFTER GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOMPOINTED OUT IN HIS CORONAVIRUSADDRESS ON SUNDAY-- THAT THEKERN HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTWAS THE ONLY DISTRICT OF IT'SSIZE TO REMAIN OPEN INCALIFORNIA...TODAY SCHOOL OFFICIALS EXPLAINEDWHY THEY WAITED SOLONG AND WHAT PARENTS, STAFF ANDSTUDENTS CAN EXPECTDURING THE CLOSURES."WE DELAYED TAKING THIS ACTIONAS LONGAS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WE SERVE ADIFFERENT KIND OF POPULATION INKERN COUNTY., 73 PERCENT OF OURCHILDREN ARE ELLIGIBLE FOR FREEMEALS, 30 PERCENTOF THE CHILDREN IN KERN COUNTYLIVE IN POVERTY, VERY FEW HAVEACCESS TO THEDEVICES FOR DISTANCE LEARNING"SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAID THEY HAVEENFORCEDVARIOUS TASK FORCES TO DETERMINETHE BEST WAY TOADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNSDURING THECLOSURES WHICH ARE EXPECTED TOLAST FROM WEDNESDAY TOAPRIL 14 -- DURING THAT TIMEPERIOD -- DISTRICTS AREEXAMINING HOWTHEY CAN PROVIDE CHILDCARE FORPARENTS WHOHAVE TO WORK -- BUT FOR NOWFAMILIES NEED TO FIGURE IT OUTTHEMSELVES.SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAID THEGUIDANCE COMING FROM THESTATE AND THE CDC IS RAPIDLYCHANGING -- AND THEY WILLCONTINUE TO UPDATE PARENTS WITHRESOURCES THEY CAN TAKEADVANTAGE OF DURING THIS TIME.FOR A FULL LIST OF SCHOOLCLOSURES IN THE COUNTY -- HEADTO OUR WEBSITE TURN TO 23 DOTCOM.FOR NOW LIVE IN STUDIO -- BAYANWANG --23ABC CONNECTING YOU.IN REGARDS TO THE LATEST EFFORTTO PREVENT THESPREAD OF COVID-19 - ALSO KNOWNAS THE CORONAVIRUS,THE KERN COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVEOFFICE HAS DECLARED ALOCAL EMERGENCY HERE IN KERNCOUNTY....THAT MEANS AS OF 5 PM TODAY, ALLCOUNTY BUILDINGS WILLBE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC..

ANDONLY ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES -DEPENDING ON WHO EACH DEPARTMENTCONSIDERS ASWILL CONTINUE SERVICES FROMTHEIR FACILITY.THE COUNTY WILL OPERATE ON ALEVEL ONE STATUS -MAINTINAING AN AWARENESS FOR THELASTEST CORONVIRUSDETAILS.THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALEVEL ONE AND TWOSTATUS, IS A LEVEL TWO STATUSWOULD INVOLVE EMERGENCYSERVICES SUCH AS FOOD ANDSHELTER... OFFICIALS SAYTHIS IS A LOW-LEVEL ACTIVATION,WITH THE MOST MINIMALACTIVATION...FIRE AND SHERIFFEMERGENCY SERVICES WILL BEFULLY STAFFED, AIRPORTS WILLREMAIN OPEN AND THE COUNTYCLERK AND ELECTIONS WILL ALSOCONTINUE TO COUNTBALLOTS WITH A LIMITED STAFFCOUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY'VE HADABOUT TWOYEARS TO TRY SIMILAR MODELS OFWORKING REMOTELY, ASDURING THEIR WINTER RECESS ASIMILAR SYSTEM IS IN PLACE...ALLNON-ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES AREASKED TO STAY HOME, NOTTRAVEL AND REMAIN AVAILABLE TOREPORT TO DUTY IF AND WHENTO CALL UPON... AND COUNTYBUILDINGS WILL BE CLOSED TOTHE PUBLIC UNTIL APRIL 14TH..."ONE OF THE BIG CATALYSTS FOR USINTHIS WAS THE CLOSURE OF THESCHOOL DISTRICT ACROSS KERNCOUNTY THAT'S A HECK A LOT OFKIDS THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE INSCHOOLAFFECTING A HECK A LOT OFFAMILIES, AND PARENTS A LOT OFTHEM WHO ARE IN THE WORKFORCETHAT COUPLED WITH US WANTING TOAVOID MASS OUTAGES OFOUR WORKFORCE DUE TOTRANSMISSION OF CORONAVIRUSWITHIN THE WORKFORCE.

WEWANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TOPROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES"RYAN ALSOP SAYS ALL COUNTYEMPLOYEES WILL BE PAID DURINGTHIS TIME...THERE ARE ABOUT 8-THOUSANDCOUNTY EMPLOYEES.AND NOW TO MORE ON THEPSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF THECORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK --IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURETHAT WE ARE KEEPINGOURSELVES PHYSICALLY HEALTHY BUTALSO MENTALLY.23ABCS LEZLA GOODEN IS LIVE ATAN AGENCY IN BAKERSFIELDTHAT IS MAKING SURE KERN COUNTYRESIDENTS AREDOING JUST THAT.

LEZLA?GOOD EVENING TODAY I HAD THEOPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH KERNBEHAVIORAL HEALTH ON WHATSTRATEGIES PEOPLE CAN USE TOHELP PEOPLE AVOID TRIGGERS ANDADDITIONAL ANXIETY- ANDTHOSE SUFFERING WITH OTHERMENTAL HEALTH DISORDERSDURING THE CORONAVIRUSOUTBREAK..

AND I WAS ABLE TOSPEAK WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THECOMMUNITY WHO TELL METHAT ADDRESSING THE FEAR ANDANXIETY HEAD ON IS WHAT HASHELPED THEM.MELISSA LOPEZ- SAYS SHE SUFFERSFROM ANXIETY AND HASA COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM..WHICH HAS CAUSEDADDITIONAL CONCERNS TO HER DAILYLIFE, BUT IS NOTLETTING IT IMPAIR HER.HAVING A FEW MINUTES TO MYSELFEACH DAY REALLY HELPS WITH MYANXIETY..

ESPECIALLY IN A.PANDEMIC THATTHIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT IHAVE LIVED THROUGH WE ARE GOINGDOWN TOISOLATION AND THAT COULD CAUSE ALOT OF TRIGGERS FOR ME- SO JUSTBEINGMINDFUL THAT THIS IS JUST FOR MYGENERAL HEALTH- I THINK ABOUT ITTHATWAY.OTHERS SHARE THAT THE VIRUSHASN'T CAUSED THEM MENTALDISTRESSED BUT STILL TAKINGACTION TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.BEING ABLE TO STAY UP WITH HEMOSTACCURATE INFORMATION FIND HELPSA LOT AND STAYING UP TO DATEWITH PEOPLE CLOSE TO HELPS..ANDI HAVEN'T HAD TO BE QUARANTINEYET BUT IDO HAVE FRIENDS WHO HAVE ANDTHEY ARE DEFINITELY HAVING AREALLYTOUGH TIME WITH IT.BORDER IS NOT ALONE WITHOFFERING SUPPORT TOTHOSE IN QUARANTINES OR WHO AREEXPERIENCINGFEELINGS OF BEING OVERHWHELMED..BILL WALKER, THEDIRECTOR OF KERN BEHAVIORALHEALTH AND RECOVERYSERVICES SAYS THAT IS A NORMALFEELING AS LONG AS IT DOES NOTOVERPOWER THEIR THOUGHTS.OFTEN IF SOMEONE HAS A LOT FOANXIETYI WILL OFTEN LISTEN FOR AWHILE..

BUT WHAT I AM LISTENINGTO IS ARE THEYDIGGING A HOLE GOING DOWN THERABBIT HOLE AND THEN ITS LIKE OKYOUAREN'T GOING TO COME BACK..

SOQUITE OFTEN YOU HELP THEM LOOKAT THEFACTS DIFFERENTLY AND NOTCATASTRAPHIZE EVERY PEICE OFINFORMATION.

.WALKER SAYS ITS IMPORTANT TOSHARE AND EXPRESS THESEOVERWHELMING THOUGHTS AND TOMAKE SURE THAT YOU AREUNPLUGGING FORM NON-STOP COVID19INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY DEALINGWITH CHILDREN.IF YOU HAVE THE COVID19 FLOODINGYOUR AIRWAVES, YOUR MEDIA AND TVSET AND YOUR KIDS ARE A PART OFTHAT WILL AFFECT THEM MORE.

ANDWE SUGGEST THAT YOU SEGREGATEYOUR INFORMATION GATHERING FROMYOU LIVING YOUR LIFE SO WHAT YOUDO AT HIME ISN'T ALWAY REVOLVEDAROUND THE LATEST INFORMATION ONCO-VID19.AND HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TOADDRESS THE ISSUES OFANXIETY AND MENTAL HEALTH WHENAT HOME, PRACTIINGSOCIAL DISTANCING OR BEINGREQUIRED TO QUARANTINE.IF YOU ARE HOME ITS IMPORTANT TODEVELOP SOME ROUTINES ANDSTRUCTURE.

AND MOST OF US LIVEBYSTRUCTURE AND ROUTINE RIGHT NOW.WE HAVE A BREAK AT A CERTAINTIME.

CLASSAT A CERTAIN TIME AND THE MOREYOU CAN REBUILD STRUCTURE INYOUR LIFE THEBETTER IS FOR YOU TO MANAGETHROUGH THE DISRUPTION OF BEINGHOME.AND KERN BEHAVIORAL HEALTHSHARES THAT THEY A 24/7HOTLINE CRISIS FOR ANYONE INNEED OF COPING SKILLS, OR HASDEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND OTHERCONCERNS.

ANDTHEY HAVE A LIST OF FREEAPPROVED BEHAVIORALHEALTH APPS THAT CAN BE FOUND INYOUR APP STORE ON YOUR PHONE.A LIST OF THOSE WILL BE LISTEDON OUR WEBSITE TURN TO 23 DOTCOM AFTER THIS NEWSCAST.

FOR NOWIN BAKERSFIELDLEZLA GOODEN 23ABC NEWSCONNECTING YOU.WE KNOW YOU HAVE LOTS OFQUESTIONS SURROUNDINGCORONAVIRUS -- SO 23ABC HASTEAMED UP WITH LOCAL HEALTHEXPERTS TO HELP YOU GET THEFACTS.

JOIN US TOMORROWAFTERNOON AT 2 P-M FOR AFACEBOOK LIVE Q-AND-A WITHADVENTIST HEALTH WHEREEXPERTS WILL ANSWER ALL YOURQUESTIONS DURING OURLIVESTREAM.WE WILL ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL QAND A SESSION WITH MORE LOCALEXPERTS TOMORROW FROM SIX TOSEVEN P-M LIVE ON AIR RIGHTHERE ON 23 ABC.AGAIN THE LIVESTREAM ISHAPPENING TOMORROW AT 2P-M AND A LIVE ON-AIR Q AND A ISAT 6 P.M.COMING UP -- OUR COVERAGE OF