California is set to reopen with no restrictions in a week as counties ready themselves for a full return to a new kind of normal. Cal/OSHA has provided their requirements and standards for people returning to the office. Governor Gavin Newsom picked the first 15 Californians to be awarded $50,000 for getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We understand there are residents who have not yet determined that vaccination against COVID-19 is right for them or who cannot get the vaccine for medical reasons,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “While there are sensible measures that offer unvaccinated people protection from COVID-19 infection like masking, hand washing, and avoiding indoor crowded areas and close contact with other unvaccinated people, unvaccinated individuals that can get vaccinated, will get the most protection from the vaccine. Please seek out information from trusted sources to learn more about vaccine safety and to get your questions answered.”
On June 15, physical distancing requirements and capacity limits for customers will be lifted. Going forward, Cal/OSHA is prioritizing protecting L.A County workers, especially in communities hardest hit by the pandemic. The government agency also recommended relaxing physical distancing and masking requirements for fully vaccinated workers, along with other adjustments to the June 15 reopening.
Last week, Governor Newsom selected the first 15 Californians awarded $50,000 for getting vaccinated against COVID-19. The $750,000 awarded in the randomized drawing is part of California’s new $116.5 million Vax for the Win program – the largest vaccine incentive program in the nation – which includes $50 incentive cards to newly vaccinated residents and cash prize drawings for all who have received at least one dose. Winners from the drawing live throughout the state in the following counties: Mendocino, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Alameda, San Diego, San Francisco, Orange, San Luis Obispo. The winners were notified directly by the California Department of Public Health by telephone, text, email or contact information from records in the state’s vaccine registry. To protect privacy, all winners will have the option to accept their cash prize anonymously or decline it altogether.
As of Monday, June 7, the L.A. County Dept. of Public Health confirmed 3 new deaths and 134 new cases of COVID-19. There were 254 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 with 17% of nearly 6,830,000 individuals testing positive with symptoms.
Public Health identified 1,245,253 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,392 deaths. Cases across the Southland: Los Angeles County shows 1,180,519 cases, Long Beach with 53,437 cases and Pasadena with 11,297 cases.
According to race and ethnicity, COVID-19 statistics show: American Indian/Alaska Native with 2,006; Asian with 56,685; Black with 46,976; Hispanic/Latino with 633,295; Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander with 4,228; White with 130,582; those of other race and ethnicity with 98,617 and 208,130 under investigation.
For more information, visit COVID19.ca.gov/vax-for-the-win. To schedule an appointment to be vaccinated, visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call the CA COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255.
For more information and statistics on COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, please visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/
For more detailed information on COVID-19 vaccination plans in L.A. County and to sign up for a vaccination newsletter, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com
