Although covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency, the virus is still circulating, changing and killing.” Almost 10,000 coronavirus deaths were reported in December.
~ World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Winter is respiratory virus season (File Photo – Andrea Piacquadio)
With respiratory virus transmission and hospitalizations remaining elevated in Los Angeles County as residents return to school and work, residents are asked to take common sense precautions.
By Mews Desk
COVID
Public Health data shows that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is widely circulating in the County. COVID-19 hospitalizations remain elevated, with an average of 806 COVID-positive patients per day for the week ending Jan. 6, an increase from 784 the week prior.
This increase is likely driven in part by the rise of a new COVID-19 strain, JN.1. Local data shows JN.1 is gaining dominance rapidly in Los Angeles County. CDC says it accounts for 61% of sequenced specimens in our Region for the two-week period ending Jan. 6.
Flu
Flu activity also remains elevated in Los Angeles County. There was an average of 425 influenza-positive patients in the hospital per day for the week ending Dec. 30. For the week ending Dec. 30, 18.3% of specimens tested for influenza at sentinel surveillance laboratories were positive, a slight decline from the previous week yet still nearly double levels seen four weeks ago. Although the decline in the most recent week is an encouraging sign, it is still too soon to tell if flu activity has peaked for this season.
Precautions
Take precautions. With respiratory viruses expected to remain in circulation for weeks to come, it’s not too late to get the updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines. Both vaccines remain effective at reducing severe illness and are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. Find a vaccination site at myturn.ca.gov.
All individuals who test positive need to wear a well-fitting, high-quality masks for a total of 10 days after their symptoms began or, if they do not have symptoms, the date of their initial positive test, whenever they are around others. This includes individuals who test positive and have no symptoms or only mild symptoms.
Under the new instructions, individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms can leave isolation once they are fever free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other symptoms are mild and improving, provided they wear a well-fitting high-quality mask when around others for 10 days following symptom onset.
Individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 and have no symptoms are not required to isolate provided they wear a well-fitting, high-quality respiratory mask whenever they are around other people for 10 days following their positive test result. It remains strongly recommended that an individual test for COVID-19 prior to ending isolation and extend isolation until day 10 if they continue to test positive. Previous guidance required individuals to isolate for at least five days if they tested positive regardless of symptoms.
Businesses, organizations and schools can continue to implement more protective policies to protect their employees, students and customers, including adhering to the prior guidance on isolation for those testing positive for COVID-19.
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