The Los Angeles Post

State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts

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50 Percent of Californians 16 and Older Have Received at Least One COVID-19 Vaccine Dose

 

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released the most recent statistics on COVID-19 and updates on the state’s pandemic response.

In California, 50% of Californians age 16 and older now have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Yesterday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that all Californians age 16 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine.

“This historic milestone is a wonderful sign that Californians understand COVID-19 vaccinations are safe and effective and that our entire state is committed to getting to immunity,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, State Public Health Officer and Director, California Department of Public Health. “Vaccinations are our best tool to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will continue to ensure that every Californian who is old enough to get the vaccine has access to one.”

Visit MyTurn.ca.gov (available in 12 languages) to find and schedule available appointments or call the COVID-19 hotline at (833) 422-4255 (assistance available in 250+ languages).

Statewide COVID-19 Data as of Today

  • California has 3,611,349 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

  • There were 2,451 newly recorded confirmed cases Thursday.

  • The 7-day positivity rate is 1.7%.

  • There have been 57,228,812 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 231,480 during the prior 24-hour reporting period.

  • There have been 59,587 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

  • As of April 16, providers have reported administering a total of 24,672,255 vaccine doses statewide. The CDC reports that 30,970,800 doses have been delivered to entities within the state. Numbers do not represent true day-to-day change as reporting may be delayed. For more vaccination data, visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Data Dashboard.

 

New: K-12 Schools Outlook for the 2021-22 Academic Year

Today, CDPH posted an Outlook for the 2021-22 Academic Year to help K-12 schools prepare for fully reopening in-person instruction. The outlook provides an overview of steps taken in the last year, including lessons learned during the early months of the pandemic, and highlights the key steps, including testing and vaccines, that will help schools plan and prepare for in-person instruction this fall.

 

Increased Transparency and Updated School Reopening Maps

The school reopening maps on the Safe Schools Hub have been updated with self-reported data from school districts, charter schools, and private schools throughout the state. Schools are required to submit this data on the second and fourth Monday of each month. This is the first update with data pursuant to AB 86 and includes:

  • School-Level Data. Reopening status can be searched for and viewed not only on a district-wide basis, but also a school-by-school basis.
  • Enrollment Data. The maps display data not only on the instructional modes offered, but also on the number of students enrolled in different instructional modes: full time in-person, hybrid, and distance learning.

Note: The self-reported data may include some gaps in data and errors. The maps will be routinely updated to reflect new data, and the state will continue to improve data quality and visualizations.

 

Vaccine Eligibility Update

As of April 1, individuals aged 50+ are eligible to make an appointment, and individuals 16+ will be eligible to make an appointment to be vaccinated starting on April 15. To sign up for a notification when you’re eligible for a vaccine, please visit myturn.ca.gov. For more information on the vaccine effort, visit Vaccinate All 58.

Tracking Variants

Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been identified globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. These genetic mutations are expected, and some emerge and then disappear, while others persist or become common. Most variants do not have a meaningful impact. Public health becomes concerned about a variant when it affects COVID-19 transmission, severity, testing, treatment or vaccine effectiveness. Get more information on the variants CDPH is currently monitoring.

Blueprint for a Safer Economy

All counties are under the rules and framework of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and color-coded tiers that indicate which activities and businesses are open based on local case rates and test positivity. As always, local public health departments may implement policies that are more restrictive than the state.

After a request for a review of its data, Merced County was moved today from the Purple (widespread) Tier to Red (substantial) Tier. No counties in California remain in the Purple Tier, a significant milestone in the state’s use of its Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

Blueprint Summary (as of April 13)

  • 0 counties in the Purple (widespread) Tier
  • 22 counties in the Red (substantial) Tier
  • 33 counties in Orange (moderate) Tier
  • 3 counties in Yellow (minimal) Tier

Blueprint tiers are updated weekly on Tuesdays. Find the status of activities in specific counties.