Given the latest improving trends in cases and hospitalizations, L.A. County Health Department is not instituting universal indoor masking at this time.
By News Desk
LA County’s 7-day case rate, while still elevated at 426 weekly cases per 100,000 people, declined from 481 weekly cases per 100,000 people last week. Using the most recent hospitalization data, L.A. County is experiencing a rate of 9.7 new hospitalizations for LA County, which suggests that by next Thursday, assuming rates stay stable or decline, CDC will designate LA County at the medium community level.
Although Public Health did not issue a new health officer order to require universal indoor masking because of the improvements in our hospital metrics, given the continued high rate of transmission, wearing masks indoors in public spaces, will reduce risk and limit spread.
Masking still required in many settings
As a reminder, masking is still required in many settings throughout the county under the existing state and LA County Health Officer orders.
Masks are required in all health care settings, on public transportation (buses and trains, and transit hubs), as well as at long-term care settings, shelters, cooling centers, and correctional facilities. Masks are required for 10 days for anyone diagnosed with, or exposed to, COVID-19, when they are around other people.
And while LA County still is in this surge, indoor masking is very strongly advised in shared office spaces, in other work settings like manufacturing, in retail settings (whether you work there or are shopping), indoors at schools, and when you are in any indoor space, unless you are actively eating or drinking.
As a reminder, businesses and institutions are permitted to require indoor masking while people are on their premises, and this remains a sensible action to take during times of high transmission.
On Friday, July 29, Public Health reported 18 additional deaths and 6,399 new positive cases. Of the 18 new deaths reported today, three people were between the ages of 50-64, seven people were between the ages of 65-79, and eight people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 18 newly reported deaths, 17 had underlying health conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 32,708.
Public Health has reported a total of 3,292,692 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 14.8%.
There are 1,239 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized.
A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the L.A. County Public Health website at publichealth.lacounty.gov.
Novavax
LA County vaccination sites will start administering the Novavax vaccine beginning Wednesday, August 3. Unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, the Novavax vaccine was developed without the use of mRNA technology. The vaccine was found to be 90% effective against mild, moderate, and severe disease.
Residents 18 years and older can get the Novavax vaccine, which is a two-dose primary series, with the second dose administered three weeks after the first. Boosters are currently not recommended and the Novavax vaccine is not yet authorized for children 17 and younger.
Residents can walk into any Public Health vaccination location to receive the vaccine. Residents can also contact their provider to see if their provider is offering Novavax.
Leave a Reply