Covid in Los Angeles (5/2/21)
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus/data/index.htm
In our county of 10 million, there were no deaths on Sunday and yet again no deaths on Monday. Our positivity rate has fallen to 0.7%. We had 313 new cases yesterday, 410 hospitalizations yesterday and nearly 65,000 tests over the last week.
Almost 80% of seniors have been vaccinated at least once and 54% of persons over the age of 16. The problems now are reaching the vaccine hesitant; half the vaccination slots were unfilled last week. Also many seniors and adults still need to come in for their second shots.
Right now, LA is in the Orange tier (moderate transmission) and is scheduled to move into the least restrictive Yellow tier (minimal spread) this week. https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS525US580&q=Los+Angeles+County+COVID+restrictions&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2-7q2ja7wAhW0FzQIHVt9AF0Q1QIwR3oECAYQAQ&biw=1382&bih=802 SoFi stadium hosted a big, free, outdoor concert for all fully vaccinated health care workers and other essential workers to celebrate. https://ktla.com/news/local-news/sofi-stadium-to-host-star-studded-concert-with-audience-of-healthcare-essential-workers/ All schools are now eligible to reopen with safety protocols in place. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/reopening_K12schools.pdf They have done so. https://laist.com/news/education/guide-everything-we-know-about-lausds-plan-to-reopen-schools-in-april
Our challenge is to stay safe, and to do that we need our entire community to continue to get vaccinated; we are not greatly plagued by the vaccine hesitancy that has slowed vaccinations in other states. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-05-01/minimal-vaccine-hesitancy-fuels-californias-covid-recovery The county is changing tactics from mass vaccinations sites to more convenient, more readily accessible community settings. The larger vaccination sites no longer require appointments and are available for walk in vaccinations. For those with limited computer skills and limited access to the technology, this is a big improvement.
In my opinion we are going to need to use vaccine passports so that those fully vaccinated can enjoy the safety, the peace of mind, the freedoms from restrictions on their movements that have proven so vital to slowing community spread. Some of that is happening already as venues like Dodger stadium have reserved sections for the fully vaccinated. Movie theaters and concerts could start to do the same.
We need to expand our horizons and care about the pandemic catastrophes in India, Brazil and other nations with rapid spread of the disease and fast rising deaths. We are one world and one human race, and we need to behave that way.
Prepared by: Lucien Wulsin
Dated: 5/3/21