COVID-19 Hospitalizations Continue to Decline; Vaccination Provider Requirements Updated

5 New Deaths and 986 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) confirms 5 new deaths and 986 new cases of COVID-19. The number of cases and deaths reflect reporting delays over the weekend. Of the five new deaths reported today, one person who passed away was over the age of 80, three people who died were 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 1,455,155 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 26,018 deaths.

There are 907 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized, a decrease of 146 people over the past week and 311 people over the past two weeks.

Testing results are available for nearly 8,590,000 individuals with 16% of people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 1.1%.

Throughout the county, state and country, many settings now require proof of COVID-19 vaccination; in addition to the white vaccination card, or a photo of the white card, the Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record serves as proof of vaccination. This digital vaccination record can be easily downloaded by going to https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/.

Beginning October 1, vaccination providers are required by the State to request patients’ email addresses and mobile phone numbers for the State’s Immunization Registry.

This information is needed to enable residents to easily access their Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record after the vaccine has been administered. When healthcare providers report COVID-19 vaccination information without the vaccine recipient’s mobile phone number or email address, the vaccine recipient is not able to access their Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record in a timely fashion and must often go through a time-consuming reconciliation process with the California Department of Public Health.

Please note that while providers will be required to request individuals’ mobile phone numbers or e-mail addresses, individuals are not required to provide this information when requested and will still be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the white vaccination card, if they decline to provide the information.

“To everyone who has lost a loved one or a friend to COVID-19, I send my deepest condolences,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “While the science about the virus continues to advance, there should be no confusion about the effectiveness of the vaccines at moving us more quickly to low rates of community transmission. For those whose work includes supporting our most vulnerable – those who are sick or facing an emergency or needing help or cannot be vaccinated – we ask that you do your part and comply with vaccination requirements. This pandemic has made it clear that individual decisions have an enormous impact on our collective well-being. While it is easy to cast safety measures and vaccination requirements as a curtailment of individual freedoms, it is perhaps more useful to view these as sensible actions that allow us to protect each other from a virus that destroys lives and livelihoods.”

Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status. Anyone 12 and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated. Boosters are available for eligible individuals at all sites offering the Pfizer vaccine. Appointments are not needed at all Public Health vaccination sites where first, second, and third doses are available.

Los Angeles County residents eligible for a booster dose of Pfizer include the following groups of people who received the second of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine series at least 6 months ago and are either:

• People aged 65 years or older
• Residents of long-term care facilities
• People aged 18 to 64 years with underlying medical conditions
• People aged 18 to 64 years with high institutional or occupational risk, including healthcare workers, first responders, teachers and day care staff, grocery workers, and workers in homeless shelters or prisons, among others

Eligible residents who completed their two-dose Pfizer vaccine series at least six months ago can make an appointment for their boosters by using the MyTurn system or by making an appointment at a pharmacy or clinic that offers Pfizer vaccinations.

Visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish) to find a vaccination site near you, 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.

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.

Please see additional information below: