L.A. County to Offer Vaccinations to 12 to 15-Year-Olds Starting Tomorrow

21 New Deaths and 322 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) affirmed the recommendation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to expand the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents 12 to 15 years of age.

Starting tomorrow, Los Angeles County vaccination providers may begin offering the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds at vaccination sites that offer the Pfizer vaccine. All eight county run sites will be open tomorrow and able to vaccinate children 12-17; teens should be accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult, and present a photo ID and verification of age.  For a full list of sites across the county offering Pfizer vaccines, please visit http://bit.ly/PfizerSites . To schedule an appointment, visit www.VaccinateLACounty.com beginning this evening; walk-ins are welcome at all 8 county-run sites.  Parents or teens with questions about the vaccine should contact their healthcare provider or visit the Public Health website for more information on vaccine safety and efficacy.

Today, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 21 new deaths and 322 new cases of COVID-19.  Of the 21 new deaths reported today, six people that passed away were over the age of 80, six people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, five people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, one person who died was between the ages of 30 and 49, and two people who died were between the ages of 18 and 29.  One death was reported by the City of Long Beach.

To date, Public Health identified 1,236,243 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,041 deaths.

There are 379 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 17% of these people are in the ICU. Testing results are available for nearly 6,620,000 individuals with 17% of people testing positive. Today’s daily test positivity rate is 0.6%.

“To the many people grieving a family member or friend who has passed away from COVID-19, we send you our deepest condolences during this difficult time,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health.  “With the CDC approval today, affirming the FDA recommendation, L.A. County will begin vaccinating youth 12 to 15 with the Pfizer vaccine tomorrow. We are grateful to the scientists, clinicians, and the young people who participated in clinical trials that helped the FDA and the CDC determine that these vaccines are safe and effective for this age group. The COVID-19 vaccine is the most powerful tool available to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and prevent hospitalizations and deaths from the virus.  Increasing the number of people vaccinated speeds up our recovery journey and allows us to safely participate in the summer activities we all love and miss.”

Since the peak of 604 weekly cases reported during late-December, case numbers among people experiencing homelessness substantially dropped to 36 new cases reported this week. The number of new cases reported this week includes 28 cases from previous weeks that were newly identified as cases associated with people experiencing homelessness and were included in the new case totals. To date, 7,052 people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County tested positive for COVID-19 and 208 people who were experiencing homelessness passed away from COVID-19. Of the people experiencing homelessness who passed away, 94 were sheltered, 69 were unsheltered, and for 45 people who passed away, their shelter status was unknown.

There are 115 providers reporting they are administering vaccinations to people experiencing homelessness. Currently, 21,550 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to people experiencing homelessness across Los Angeles County. Of those vaccinated, at least 3,286 people received second doses. The County continues to work closely with partner organizations to provide services and support and to vaccinate and protect people experiencing homelessness from COVID-19 infection.

To find a vaccination site near you, to make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over 65, you can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment or scheduling a home-visit if you are homebound. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

County Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional actions you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

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