In an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus in Riverside County, health officials recommended Tuesday that residents cover their nose and mouth with bandanas, fabric masks or neck gaiters when leaving home for essential activities like doctor's appointments, grocery shopping or pharmacy visits.

The face coverings should be worn anytime a person is outside of their home, even in offices or essential businesses, county officials said in a news release. The face coverings do not have to be hospital grade.

The announcement came as county health officials reported 80 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday afternoon, increasing the county's total number of cases to 371.

“When the situation changes, the rulebook changes,” Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer, said in a statement. “We’re seeing our numbers increasing even sooner than we predicted and that means our strategy must change too. Covering your face doesn’t change the orders everyone must abide by to stay home as much as possible and maintain social distancing, but it’s an extra layer of protection that I think we need to add.”

The rationale for covering one's face comes from the belief that transmission of the coronavirus occurs primarily through droplets from an infected person, which fabrics can easily filter, the county said. This not only helps to reduce the risk that a healthy person could breathe droplets in, but also protects others around someone with mild symptoms who may not yet realize they have the illness.

The guidance is in line with a recommendation from President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday also urged people to cover their faces with scarves.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had previously said that people didn't need to wear a face mask unless they were sick or caring for someone who is sick, and made no mention of scarves or bandanas for the general public. However, the Washington Post reported on Monday that CDC officials were considering changing its guidance for the nation.

Of Riverside County's 371 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 30 people have recovered, county officials reported on Tuesday. The county also reported four new virus-related deaths, bringing the county's toll to 13.

Of the four deaths, one was a man in his 70s from Palm Springs, one was a man in his 60s from Cathedral City and one was a man in his 80s from Wildomar. County spokesperson Brooke Federico could not immediately provide information about the fourth patient.

Riverside County health officials have reported 122 cases in the Coachella Valley’s nine cities as of Tuesday, including:

Cathedral City: 10 confirmed cases

10 confirmed cases Coachella: 1 confirmed case

1 confirmed case Desert Hot Springs: 7 confirmed cases

7 confirmed cases Indian Wells : 5 confirmed cases

5 confirmed cases Indio: 20 confirmed cases

20 confirmed cases La Quinta: 14 confirmed cases

14 confirmed cases Palm Desert: 21 confirmed cases

21 confirmed cases Palm Springs: 31 confirmed cases

31 confirmed cases Rancho Mirage: 13 confirmed cases

13 confirmed cases Riverside County: 371 confirmed cases and 13 deaths

371 confirmed cases and 13 deaths California: 6,932 cases and 150 deaths, according to State of California figures, which are tallied separately from the county.

The jump in cases comes as local and state health officials continue to expand testing and hospital bed capacity to meet a projected surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, both in Riverside County and throughout California.

The Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio — the planned site for a 125-bed federal medical station — opened for appointment-only drive-up coronavirus testing on Tuesday morning.

County health officials on Tuesday also unveiled projections that estimate when the county's hospital beds, ICU beds and ventilators could reach capacity. Tentative dates are between April 12 and April 24.

In neighboring San Bernardino County, health officials will launch a drive-up COVID-19 testing site for county residents at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville on Thursday. Appointments can be scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; walk-ins are welcome from 1 to 2 p.m.

To schedule at appointment, visit wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus, or call (909) 387-3911. Testing is free, and health insurance is not required.

San Bernardino County health officials count six fatalities and 183 confirmed cases, including two in Yucca Valley and an outbreak at a Yucaipa nursing home, as of Tuesday evening. And in Imperial County, where only 224 individuals have been tested, the public health department reports 25 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning.

There are 6,932 positive coronavirus cases in California and 150 related deaths, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday. There are 1,617 people hospitalized with the virus and 657 in intensive care, he said. The number of patients hospitalized has doubled in the past five days, while the number of those in ICU has tripled during that period, he said.

Newsom: 'Never been more damn inspired'

About 25,000 new and newly retired health care workers have heeded the state's call to help fight the coronavirus pandemic, one day after Newsom announced the creation of the California Health Corps to recruit medical students, nursing students and retired practitioners to fulfill the state's staffing needs.

Newsom said he was overwhelmed by the response.

​"I've never been more damn inspired in my life," he said during a press conference Tuesday morning.

He said Facebook has provided $25 million to help pay for living expenses and childcare for the Health Corps workers. That's in addition to the salary paid by the state, he said.

Also on Tuesday, Newsom announced "an effort to do more and do better to protect our seniors." There are 5.3 million Californians that are 65 years old or older, he said.

The state is now working with the AARP, American Lung Association, local partners and state programs to "significantly increase our connectivity to our seniors," he said. The initiative will "check in not just for wellness checks related to food and medicine, but the deep anxiety people are feeling being isolated at home," he added.

The state has created a hotline for seniors and those hoping to help them in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, he said. It can be reached at (833) 544-2374.

Federal health official: Models warn of as many as 240,000 deaths from coronavirus

Members of the Trump administration laid out dire estimates Tuesday to underscore the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, a grim prediction they said was at the center of the president’s decision to extend strict social distancing guidelines through the end of April.

Federal public health officials said that between 100,000 and 240,000 could succumb to the virus by the end of the year — making it one of the nation’s worst public health crises, according to White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx.

Without intervention, Birx said, as many 2.2 million could have died.

Presented to the president over the weekend, the data explains why Trump backed down from an earlier notion of “reopening” the country by Easter, or potentially opening parts of the nation that were less hard hit, officials said. Trump announced Sunday he would extend social distancing guidelines through April 30.

“Our country is in the midst of a great national trial,” Trump said Tuesday. “We’re going to go through a very tough two weeks.”

County shares projections of when hospital, ICU beds might reach capacity

Officials say the county's 102 available intensive care beds could be full on April 12. The nearly 1,400 available hospital beds could be at capacity by April 22.

Also, the county's roughly 170 ventilators may also be fully utilized by April 26.

The projections are based on the county's current totals and are expected to change over time, health officials said.

So far, it takes roughly 4.7 days for the number of county-wide cases to double. Officials hope preventive measures, such as hand washing and covering one's face in public, will increase the doubling time.

If the doubling time remains the same, then there could be 1,000 deaths in the county in early May, according to the projections.

Joshua Tree National Park closes

Joshua Tree National Park will be closed to all visitors starting April 1 until further notice, amid public health concerns about the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

Reimbursements for cancelled reservations or Key Ranch programs have already been refunded. The Joshua Tree National Park Association’s Desert Institute has also cancelled all classes for the remainder of spring.

"Joshua Tree National Park is announcing additional modifications to operations in response to guidance from San Bernardino County Public Health Office," spokeswoman Hannah Schwalbe said a press release. "The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners is our number one priority. The National Park Service is working servicewide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic."

Joshua Tree park officials initially closed the visitor's center on March 18 amid growing COVID-19 concerns, but trails and campgrounds remained open to the public. The national park closed all park roads to vehicles and closed campgrounds three days later in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order.

But the closure didn't deter park-goers, and area locals grew concerned. Brian Rennie, who lives near the park's entrance, previously told The Desert Sun that the closure to vehicles created clusters of cars in the neighborhoods surrounding the park's entrance.

Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs high schools close tracks

With limited opportunities for recreation amid California's stay-at-home order, residents flocked to the public tracks at Palm Springs High School and Desert Hot Springs High School.

But after the facilities attracted large numbers of visitors, the local school districts have decided to close them to the public to ensure physical distancing. Palm Springs Unified School District spokesperson Joan Boiko said the tracks were closing “due to too many people congregating.”

Since California's stay-at-home order came into effect, public officials have scrambled to respond to an influx of visitors to parks, hiking trails and beaches.

Newsom recently announced that California would close all state parks to vehicle access and, in places like Los Angeles and the Bay Area, local officials have closed beaches and trails.

Trails remain open in the Coachella Valley.

Desert Sands meal pick-up moves to twice a week

Desert Sands Unified School District will provide meal service for students twice a week starting next week. The district will continue serving daily meals through Friday.

The district will provide two days of meals on Mondays and three days of meals on Wednesdays, according to a news release. Meals will be available for pickup between 10 a.m. and noon on both days.

The district is making the change "mostly for efficiency," spokesperson Mary Perry said.

Palm Desert Whole Foods open amid sickout

The Whole Foods Market in Palm Desert remained open on Tuesday and no protesters were visible around noon, even as workers from locations across the nation staged a sickout strike on Tuesday to demand better workplace protections and benefits amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Employees with the supermarket chain, which was acquired by Amazon in June 2017 for $13.7 billion, originally planned to stage a sickout on May 1, International Workers' Day, according to USA Today. But concerns about COVID-19 prompted them to move up the daylong strike, and call for hazard pay and sick pay amid concerns about contracting and spreading the virus.

Walmart, meanwhile, announced it would begin taking the temperatures of its employees when they report to work. The infrared thermometers would arrive at stores in about three weeks, the company said in a news release.

The company is also sending masks and gloves to all its stores, clubs and distribution centers. The gear should arrive in one to two weeks and employees "that wish to use them can do so."

Gun shops re-open in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has made an abrupt about-face after federal authorities clarified that gun shops are essential businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

After Newsom said he would defer to county sheriffs to decide whether to keep gun shops open, Villanueva last week shuttered Los Angeles County gun shops, permitting them only to sell ammunition to security guards. The move triggered outcry from gun rights activists and a lawsuit from the NRA and other groups claiming the sheriff was violating Californians’ civil liberties.

But the Department of Homeland Security recently amended its list of the critical infrastructure workforce to include workers at firearms manufacturers, retailers and shooting ranges.

"Based on this further input from the federal government, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will not order or recommend closure of businesses that sell or repair firearms or sell ammunition," Villanueva said in a department statement Monday.

Villanueva reiterated that people should report any concerning conditions they are observing at businesses that remain open, reminding residents in his county to “abide by all health and safety measures in place."

Desert Sun reporters Risa Johnson and Chris Damien and USA TODAY contributed to this report.

Coronavirus update

Riverside County health officials have reported 122 cases in the Coachella Valley’s nine cities as of Tuesday, including: