SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to approve $20 million in aid for businesses affected by San Diego County's slide into the most-restrictive purple tier of the state's four-tiered coronavirus monitoring system.

Supervisors Greg Cox and Nathan Fletcher, co-chairs of San Diego County's COVID-19 Subcommittee, proposed making $20 million in general funds available to provide relief to businesses negatively impacted by the indoor closures mandated by the purple tier.

"Due to the massive spike in COVID-19 cases and very concerning increases in hospitalizations we have to take action to slow the spread in San Diego County," they said in a joint statement.

"Through no fault of their own, COVID-19 highest risk entities have to stop indoor operations. While we know this step is vital to help slow the spread in our community, we want to step up and help those impacted.

"Our goal for the $20 million is to provide relief to restaurants, gyms and other entities that have been directly impacted by the indoor closures due to our county's purple tier status. We want to provide this critical relief to them as our community works to slow the spread and stop the surge of COVID- 19 cases."

Funds will also be available for event businesses, such as caterers and party planners.

"Absolutely we’re going to try for it," said Tom Tarantino, owner of Rovino in Little Italy and Rovino the Foodery in East Village. "We'll probably apply tonight and keep our fingers crossed."

Tarantino said his request for small business assistance through the city was denied early on in the pandemic, but he was granted a PPP loan from the federal government.

"It helped us with payroll for employees, kept us going a couple extra months with that, helped us to keep them employed," he said. "What's hurting us more is the opening and closing now that we are in the purple tier again so you end up ordering all this food, all this wine, all this beer and thinking that you're going to be open and then all of a sudden you're closed again."

Cox said during Wednesday's virtual special meeting providing the right critical relief for businesses is a priority.

"I realize we're in a situation none of us created," Cox said. "We want nothing more than for businesses to get back to normal, but this is one small step we can make to help them hang on."

Fletcher said there has been a five-fold increase in COVID-19 cases, along with an alarming rise in hospitalizations and related staffing challenges.

"We are forced to take actions none of us want to take," Fletcher said. "If we don't limit the highest risk settings, the loss of life will be greater."

Supervisor Jim Desmond described the funds as a much-needed bandage for struggling businesses, but not a solution.

"These businesses aren't looking for a hand-out; they just want to get back to work," Desmond said.

If the county truly cared about helping businesses, it would let them operate safely, Desmond said.

Before adjourning the meeting, Cox said he hoped county residents on Thanksgiving Day would remember the first responders, law enforcement and fire personnel, and hospital staff for their efforts during a challenging year.

The $20 million in county funding will be divided evenly between the five supervisorial districts -- with each receiving about $4 million.

The county will accept applications for the funds.

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- "It’s a roller coaster."

That’s how Stan Dale, co-owner of La Bella Pizza Garden in Chula Vista, describes the past several months.

After more than six decades in business, he said coronavirus restrictions have made it harder and harder to keep going.

“There’s a lot of mom and pop places here," Dale said. "It's a really nice community, but I see it slipping away. The whole economy, in my opinion, is starting to falter so much that none of us are going to be around unless we do something here fairly quickly."

Supporting local businesses is the idea behind a new campaign launched by the city of Chula Vista. The effort dubbed "We Built THIS" is urging residents to consider shopping and eating out locally amid a year that has hit numerous industries hard during a global pandemic.

"These small businesses and entrepreneurs are at the core of everything good in our community," said Miranda Evans, an economic development specialist with the city.

Ahead of the holiday shopping season, the campaign — a follow-up to the 2018 advertising effort "THIS is Chula" — plans to highlight community assets and promote local ventures.

The social media-driven campaign is expected to last until mid-2021.

“From the constantly changing regulations and now the restrictions they’re facing being in the purple tier – it’s up to us as a community to come together and support safely -- to give these businesses support during a very difficult time," Evans said.

More information on "We Built THIS" is available online at explorechulavista.com.

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted unanimously to make San Diego County's $20 million Small Business Stimulus Grant program available to all businesses affected by COVID-19 safety restrictions.

Supervisors voted to provide that small business relief via teleconference after hearing an update on the county's efforts to combat the spread of the virus as well as information about future vaccine distribution. They also heard from numerous businesses owners angry over the newest state restrictions mandated by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The restrictions, which went into effect at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, were triggered when intensive-care unit bed availability remained below 15% after Saturday's daily update, according to the California Department of Public Health. New infections and hospitalizations from the coronavirus have surged in San Diego County, which reported its third-highest daily total of COVID-19 cases on Monday with 1,998.

It was the seventh consecutive day with more than 1,000 new cases and the 15th time in the last 18 days. A record 2,287 infections were reported Friday. The cases reported Monday bring the county's cumulative total to 94,169.

No new deaths were reported Monday with the total remaining at 1,062.

The county has received nearly $390 million in federal CARES Act funding to help residents and businesses since the pandemic started earlier this year.

Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, who proposed expanding the business aid, said in a written statement that he understands the impact a regional stay-at- home order has all business owners, and "expanding this economic stimulus program will provide bridge funding to support them and their workers while the restrictions to slow the spread are in place."

Fletcher, who also serves as co-chair of the county's COVID-19 subcommittee, said during the meeting that he also understands that people are frustrated by restrictions, but "when we go from 200 to 2,000 cases a day, we have to change what we're doing."

Dr. Wilma Wooten, county public officer, told the board that the state of California is anticipating 327,000 doses of a COVID vaccine in mid December, with San Diego County expected to receive 28,275 doses in the state's first round of distribution.

"I'm encouraged that our way forward will be seen with vaccinations to (create) herd immunity," she added. As she has at other county meetings, Wooten again urged residents to follow guidelines, including washing hands and maintain social distancing.

"We can flatten the curve again," she added.  "We can come out of this in a way that saves lives."

Many residents who called in during the update's public comment period voiced their frustrations over how the restrictions are harming them, their families and businesses.

Paula Steger, co-owner of Artistic Laser Productions, said while it's important for everybody to wear a mask and wash their hands, it's also " time to go about your daily lives."

She said her business lost $60,000 worth of contracts this year because of restrictions.

"I was 7 when the Hong Kong flu hit," Steger said. "The world didn't shut down then, and we got through it. I'm done. I'm going to work wherever I can in a COVID-safe manner."