Cases at Skilled Nursing Facilities Remain Low

3 New Deaths and 326 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

 

Cases at skilled nursing facilities plummeted since staff and residents began receiving vaccinations and remain low. For the week ending June 20, nearly 30,000 COVID-19 tests were completed among skilled nursing facility staff and residents and only seven people tested positive for COVID-19; one new case among residents and six new cases among staff; the majority of these cases are among unvaccinated individuals. For comparison, the last week of December 2020, a total of 2,532 people tested positive for COVID-19; 1,423 cases among residents and 1,109 cases among staff.

Currently, 84% of skilled nursing facility staff and 84% of skilled nursing facility residents are fully vaccinated. The low case rates at skilled nursing homes reflects these high vaccination rates.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 3 new deaths and 326 new cases of COVID-19. The number of cases and deaths may reflect reporting delays over the holiday. Of the three new deaths reported today, one person that passed away was between the ages of 65 and 79 and two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49. To date, Public Health identified 1,253,065 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,507 deaths. There are 273 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 7,070,000 individuals with 16% of people testing positive.

“Our deepest sympathies are with everyone who has lost someone they cared about to COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “We continue to see in places where there are high rates of COVID-19 vaccinations, transmission of COVID-19 has plummeted and remains low.  While vaccination rates continue to increase throughout L.A. County, COVID-19 and variants of concern like the Delta variant remain a threat to everyone unvaccinated. L.A. County has recently seen increases in cases, hospitalizations, and daily test positivity and the people that are overwhelming suffering from COVID-19, are the people who are not vaccinated. The best way to protect those not able to get vaccinated, including the 1.3 million children under 12 years of age, is to surround them with vaccinated folks.  With rising community transmission, we already have noted increased cases occurring among even our very youngest children. If you are 12 or older and around younger children, please take time soon to get vaccinated if you have not yet done so. Let’s continue to keep each other safe.”

Through Thursday, July 8 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 four packages of tickets and passes to botanical gardens in the area. Each prize package consists of one annual membership to the Huntington Botanical Gardens and one-day passes to Descanso Gardens, L.A. County Arboretum, and South Coast Botanic Garden. 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. Visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish) to find a vaccination site near you, to make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more. 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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