If L.A. County remains in the High COVID-19 Community Level for two consecutive weeks, universal indoor masking will be implemented on July 29 to help slow the rate of transmission and protect those most vulnerable.
By News Desk
On July 15, 2022, L.A. County entered the High Covid Community Level on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Community Levels framework after hospital admissions exceeded 10 new hospital admissions per 100,000 people. The county’s admission rate, at 10.5 hospital admissions per 100,000 people, is an 88% increase when compared to one month ago.
It is poignant to note that indoor masking is already a required safety measure in many places, including at all healthcare settings, public transit and transit hubs, long-term care settings, shelters and cooling centers, and correctional facilities. Indoor masking also continues to be required at worksites with outbreaks, and is required for all individuals during the 10 days after a COVID diagnosis or exposure when they are around others.
Businesses and employers are allowed to require masks at work, and many have done just that, either by maintaining an indoor masking requirement throughout the pandemic or reinstating one as cases began increasing.
Masking and testing
Masking and testing are both powerful tools that can interrupt transmission thereby reducing risk.
Masks that offer beneficial protection provide both good filtration and a good fit or seal around the edges. Well-fitting respirator-type masks such as N95s, KN95s, and KN94s offer the most protection because they are made with thicker materials that do the best job filtering out the virus.
Testing to know your status is strongly recommended if exposed, if symptomatic, and right before gathering with others, especially if indoors and when gathering with anyone at higher risk of severe illness should they get infected. If attendees at a gathering have all tested negative prior to getting together, it is much less likely that anyone will be exhaling virus particles into the air.
Cases
A person from a retirement community in our Colorado Boulevard valley reported to us that “8 residents and 6 support staff who came in contact” have the new variant.
On July 15, Public Health reported 16 additional deaths and 8,954 new positive cases. Of the 16 new deaths reported today, no one was young (less than 50 years old), one person was between the ages of 50-64, four people were between the ages of 65-79, and 11 people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 16 newly reported deaths, all had underlying health conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 32,508.
Public Health has reported a total of 3,207,071 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 17.0%. There are 1,223 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized.
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