The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is reporting that the combination of low vaccination rates and unmasked individuals is giving the Delta variant momentum. The State of California is requiring all State workers and workers in health care and high-risk environments, to present proof of vaccination or be tested once a week. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, director of Public Health’s message to overcome this latest surge remains steady.
“As we continue to experience significant community transmission fueled by the Delta variant, every effort to reduce spread is important,” said Ferrer. “This includes the additional layer of masking and testing protections the state health officer order requires at health care and high-risk congregate living facilities.”
She continued, “Every worksite in L.A. County also has an opportunity to reduce virus transmission by adhering to the requirement that all employees and customers wear their masks indoors. We need the additional protection while more individuals get vaccinated if we want to get back to low rates of transmission.”
“We are now dealing with a pandemic of the unvaccinated, and it’s going to take renewed efforts to protect Californians from the dangerous Delta variant,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “As the state’s largest employer, we are leading by example and requiring all State and health care workers to show proof of vaccination or be tested regularly, and we are encouraging local governments and businesses to do the same. Vaccines are safe – they protect our family, those who truly can’t get vaccinated, our children and our economy.
“Vaccines are the way we end this pandemic.”
As of Monday, July 26, Public Health reported four new deaths and stated 1,966 new cases of COVID-19. There were 745 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 with 16% of nearly 7,261,000 individuals testing positive with symptoms.
Public Health identified 1,285,771 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,631 deaths. Cases across the Southland: Los Angeles County shows 1,218,988 cases, Long Beach with 55,133 cases and Pasadena with 11,650 cases.
According to race and ethnicity, COVID-19 statistics show: American Indian/Alaska Native with 2,067; Asian with 58,311; Black with 51,965; Hispanic/Latino with 645,311; Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander with 4,427; White with 138,184; those of other race and ethnicity with 103,231 and 215,492 under investigation.
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
For more information and statistics on COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, please visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/
Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:
*Los Angeles County Department of Public Health http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/
*California Department of Public Health https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/index.html Spanish https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html
*World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
*LA County residents can also call 2-1-1
