Covid 19 in LA and CA
In California, we had the earliest Covid 19 death (in the Bay Area), the earliest regional lock down (in the Bay Area) and earliest statewide lockdown. We have been in lock down for nearly two months.
So far in California, we have a low infection rate and a low death rate per 100,000. Our Covid 19 case rate is about 1/10th the rate of New York and New Jersey and 15% the rate in Massachusetts. And our death rate is about 1/20th the rates in New York and 1/10th the rate in Massachusetts and 1/7th the rate in Louisiana. Deaths per day (the seven day average) are going down in California, but confirmed cases per day (7 day average) are still going up slightly.
We are up to about a million tests in California (population 40 million) and about 10,000 tests a day in LA (population 10 million). LA is the epicenter of the state’s confirmed cases and deaths, accounting for close to half of the state’s totals.
Governor Newsom is loosening the shut downs for the rural counties with low case rates so some businesses are reopening, hiking trails are reopening and beaches are re-opening for exercise (even in LA, which is scheduled for tomorrow). Restaurants, malls and office buildings can all reopen at county option but with lots of restrictions, such as six foot distancing, mask wearing, take out, disposable menus and lots of protections for worker safety. https://deadline.com/2020/05/california-coronavirus-update-governor-gavin-newsom-says-restaurants-can-reopen-for-dine-in-service-1202932659/ LA’s restrictions are likely to extend until July. https://ktla.com/news/local-news/l-a-county-stay-at-home-order-likely-to-be-extended-through-july-to-fight-coronavirus/
Staff, patients and prisoners in nursing homes, county jails and state and federal prisons now comprise the largest percent of California’s cases and deaths. https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05/08/coronavirus-nearly-half-of-state-deaths-are-among-senior-care-home-patients-and-staff/
There are links to highly informative National Geographic maps of the spread of Covid 19 in California and around the nation at https://abc7.com/coronavirus-california-covid-19-tracker-map-cases/6175870/ .
Prepared by: Lucien Wulsin
Dated: 5/12/20