Public Health Underscores Business Compliance and Masking

3 New Deaths and 321 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 3 new deaths and 321 new cases of COVID-19.  Of the three new deaths reported today, one person that passed away was over the age of 80, one person who died was between the ages of 65 and 79, and one person who died was between the ages of 50 and 64 .

To date, Public Health identified 1,249,835 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,482 deaths. There are 229 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 24% of these people are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).  Testing results are available for more than 7,013,000 individuals with 17% of people testing positive.

Public Health inspectors continue to visit businesses across the County every day ensuring compliance with Cal/OSHA standards and the Health Officer Order, along with providing technical assistance.  Since the June 15 full reopening, only two citations have been issued to a restaurant for noncompliance with Health Officer Orders.

Masks are required for all unvaccinated employees when indoors or in shared vehicles and employers must document the vaccination status of employees. In settings where there is close contact with other people who may not be fully vaccinated, employees should consider wearing a higher level of protection, such as wearing two masks (double masking) or wearing a respirator (N95). Businesses are required, upon request, to offer all unvaccinated employees who work indoors, a respirator.

Non-compliance from businesses can contribute to increased community transmission. Violations of safety requirements and dangerous conditions can be reported anonymously to Public Health by phone at 888-700-9995 or online at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Because of increased circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant across the country, Public Health strongly recommends everyone, as a precautionary measure, wear masks indoors in settings such as grocery or retail stores; theaters and family entertainment centers, and workplaces when you don’t know everyone’s vaccination status.

Masks are required for all persons, regardless of vaccination status, on public transit and in transportation hubs; indoors while inside K-12 schools, childcare, camps and other youth settings; in healthcare settings, including long term care facilities; in state and local correctional facilities and detention centers; and in homeless shelters, emergency shelters, and cooling centers; indoors at mega-events with more than 5,000 attendees, and any business or government office serving the public that requires everyone to wear a mask.

“To everyone mourning a loved one who has passed away from COVID-19, we wish you healing and peace,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Fully vaccinated people are well protected against serious illness and disease caused by variants of concern including the Delta variant. So, I encourage everyone eligible and unvaccinated to take another look at all of the mounting information on the vaccines’ safety and effectiveness. Ninety-nine percent of all new cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations since January have been among unvaccinated individuals and 99.8% of the people who have tragically died have been unvaccinated. Getting vaccinated is the most powerful protection for you and your community.”

Through Thursday, July 1 at County-run vaccination sites, LA City sites, and St. John’s Well Child and Family Center sites, everyone 18 and older coming to get a vaccine will have an opportunity to win one of two packages, each containing season passes to Six Flags, the LA Zoo, the Natural History Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits, and ticket packs to the California Science Center. Official rules and participating site locations are posted online on the Los Angeles Vaccination Sweepstakes page. Winners will be contacted by phone and/or email.

Anyone 12 and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated. 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, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or scheduling a home-visit if you are homebound.  Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

COVID-19 Sector Protocols, Best Practices, COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, 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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