The Los Angeles Post

State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts

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SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released the most recent statistics on COVID-19, including data on intensive care unit (ICU) capacity across the state. Beginning today, CDPH will update the Regional Stay at Home metrics for each region twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. The next update will be Friday, January 15.

Projected ICU capacity remains below 15% in the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California regions. which remain under the Regional Stay at Home Order. The order will be lifted for a region once its four-week ICU projection shows a capacity of greater than or equal to 15%.

Counties within the Greater Sacramento and Northern California region are under the tiering system and rules of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

The ICU capacity projections are based on four factors: current estimated regional ICU capacity available, measure of current community transmission, current regional case rates and the proportion of ICU cases being admitted. Decreasing community transmission and increasing the health system capacity can help a region’s projected ICU capacity so they can exit the order. Read the full Regional Stay Home Order, Supplement to the Order, and frequently asked questions.

Due to high rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations impacting the health care system, California is also under a Limited Stay at Home Order. The order applies to all counties that are currently under the Regional Stay at Home Order and those in Tier One (Purple) of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The Limited Stay at Home Order will expire after the Regional Stay At Home Order has been terminated in all regions of the state.

 

Vaccinate All 58 Update
In order to increase the pace of COVID-19 vaccine distribution to those at greatest risk, the state is prioritizing individuals 65 and older to receive the vaccine as demand subsides among health care workers. This effort will help to reduce hospitalizations and safe lives.

“There is no higher priority than efficiently and equitably distributing these vaccines as quickly as possible to those who face the gravest consequences,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Individuals 65 and older are now the next group eligible to start receiving vaccines. To those not yet eligible for vaccines, your turn is coming. We are doing everything we can to bring more vaccine into the state.”

Full press release on expanded vaccine prioritization. For more information on the vaccine effort, visit the Vaccinate All 58 webpage.

 

Hospital Surge Order

On January 5, CDPH issued a public health order to reduce pressure on strained hospital systems. To preserve services for the sickest patients, the hospital surge order requires some non-essential and non-life-threatening surgeries to be delayed in counties with 10% or less of ICU capacity under the Regional Stay at Home Order where the regional ICU capacity is at 0%. Examples of procedures that may be delayed include carpal tunnel release and non-urgent spine surgeries. Surgeries for patients who have serious and urgent medical conditions will continue. Examples of procedures that will continue include serious cancer removal and necessary heart surgeries. The order will remain in effect for at least three weeks and will continue until rescinded.

The order requires hospitals statewide to accept patient transfers from facilities that have implemented contingency or crisis care guidelines as long as those transfers can be done capably and safely. On December 28, 2020 CDPH provided guidance to health care facilities on implementing the Crisis Care Continuum Guidelines issued in June 2020.

Counties Currently Impacted by the Hospital Surge Order:

San Joaquin Valley: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare.

Southern California: Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura

Statewide COVID-19 Data as of Today

  • California has 2,781,039 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

  • There were 33,751 newly recorded confirmed cases Tuesday.

  • The 7-day positivity rate is 13.0% and the 14-day positivity rate is 13.3%.

  • There have been 36,842,651 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 334,267 during the prior 24-hour reporting period.

  • As case numbers continue to rise in California, the total number of individuals who will have serious outcomes will also increase. There have been 31,102 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

  • As of January 12, a total of 889,042 vaccine doses have been administered statewide. As of January 12, a total of 2,862,350 vaccine doses, which includes the first and second dose, have been shipped to local health departments and health care systems that have facilities in multiple counties.