Los Angeles County surpassed 1 million instances of the coronavirus right now, as officers reported 14,669 new instances of COVID-19 and 253 further deaths, bringing the county’s totals to 1,003,923 instances and 13,741 fatalities. The county’s public well being division additionally confirmed the primary case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the identical variant found in the UK, in a person who lately hung out in Los Angeles County.
The person is a male who traveled to Oregon, the place he’s at the moment isolating. The variant was confirmed by Quest Laboratories in Washington state. Though it’s the first confirmed case of the variant in Los Angeles County, public well being officers right here imagine that the brand new, extra contagious pressure is already spreading in the neighborhood, and are persevering with to check samples.
“The presence of the U.Okay. variant in Los Angeles County is troubling, as our well being care system is already severely strained with greater than 7,500 individuals at the moment hospitalized,”
Public Well being Director Barbara Ferrer stated.
With a brand new coronavirus pressure spreading in England, there are issues that the COVID-19 vaccines will not be efficient towards it. Public well being doctor, professor, and well being coverage professional Dr. Vin Gupta joined LX Information to debate why confidence is excessive that the FDA permitted vaccines will struggle the brand new variant of the virus.
“Our group is bearing the brunt of the winter surge, experiencing big numbers of instances, hospitalizations and deaths, five-times what we skilled over the summer time. This extra contagious variant makes it simpler for infections to unfold at worksites, at shops, and in our houses.”
“We’re within the midst of a public well being emergency so please do every part you possibly can to guard yourselves and people you like. In case you are required to work exterior your own home, guarantee that your office adheres to all of the obligatory security directives; there must be no crowding wherever, protecting gear and face coverings offered as required, and an infection management measures absolutely applied.”
“For many who can, that is the time to avoid all non-household members, and, once you have to be round others, to at all times preserve your distance and put on a face overlaying. Wash your arms each hour and wipe down steadily touched surfaces a number of instances a day. We have to use the instruments at hand to maintain one another from turning into contaminated.”
The brand new pressure doesn’t make individuals sicker, however it’s transmitted far more simply, which means it could quickly unfold by the inhabitants.
Subsequent week 5 new COVID-19 vaccination tremendous websites will open up in LA county. The aim is to vaccinate as many as 20,000 individuals every single day. Michelle Valles reviews for the NBC4 Information on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021.
Of the 238 deaths reported Saturday excluding these in Lengthy Seashore and Pasadena — which have their very own well being departments — 81 have been over the age of 80, 92 have been between 65 and 79, 49 have been between 50 and 64, 12 individuals have been between 30 and 49, and 4 individuals have been between the ages of 18 and 29. The variety of coronavirus sufferers in county hospitals remained unchanged from Friday at 7,597, with 22% within the ICU.
After peaking at simply over 8,000, hospitalizations have been inching down in current days. The county has a complete of about 2,500 licensed ICU beds. However well being officers have warned that hospital numbers might considerably rise once more because of individuals who have been contaminated over the Christmas and New 12 months’s holidays.
The county has continued to see elevated every day new case numbers, which at all times translate to extra individuals being hospitalized.
Though the 1 million determine represents about one-tenth of the general inhabitants, modeling launched by the county this week estimated that as many as one-third of residents have really been contaminated sooner or later, most definitely with out ever understanding it. In the meantime, the county is working to ramp up vaccination efforts, with plans to open 5 large-scale vaccine websites on Tuesday.
By Tuesday 5 extra tremendous vaccination websites can be open in LA County. Mixed with Dodger Stadium’s capability, LA leaders hope to vaccinate 20,000 individuals a day. Beverly White reviews for NBC4 Information at 11 p.m. on Jan. 15, 2021.
These can be along with the massive website opened by the town at Dodger Stadium on Friday, and 75 smaller websites the county is already working. The main query now’s the provision of vaccines. Dr. Paul Simon, chief science officer for the county Division of Public Well being, stated that as of Thursday, the county had administered greater than 279,000 complete doses of vaccine to well being care staff and workers and residents of expert nursing and long-term care amenities.
He stated the county has administered 44% of the vaccines it has acquired to be used as first doses within the two-dose routine, together with 30% of these earmarked to be used as second doses.
“The remaining doses have both been distributed to our associate vaccination suppliers or have been allotted to be used over the subsequent a number of weeks,” Simon stated.
Simon stated he sympathized with individuals pissed off on the gradual tempo of getting the vaccines administered — notably amongst individuals aged 65 and older, who’re already receiving vaccines in different jurisdictions which might be deeper into the distribution course of.
Los Angeles County doesn’t anticipate vaccinating these individuals till at the very least February, since it’s anticipated to take till then to complete vaccinating well being care staff. “We too wish to increase vaccinations as shortly as attainable to these 65 and older,” Simon stated.
“The main barrier at the moment is the shortage of sufficient provide of vaccine. We’re very hopeful that further vaccine will arrive quickly so we will start vaccinating seniors within the subsequent a number of weeks. We acknowledge seniors and others are understandably anxious and in lots of instances pissed off in regards to the delay in receiving vaccine. Please know that we’re dedicated to increasing entry to the vaccine as shortly as attainable.”
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