As COVID-19 Cases Among Pregnant Women are Monitored, Public Health Encourages Expecting and New Moms to Get Vaccinated

16 New Deaths and 742 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) continues to track the impact of COVID-19 on expecting and new moms and newborns in Los Angeles County and continues to urge expecting and new moms to get vaccinated.

As of October 5, there are 13,161 pregnant women in L.A. County who tested positive for COVID-19. Seventy-six percent of pregnant women testing positive for COVID-19 are Latina/Latinx, 11% are White, 5% are African American/Black, and 5% are Asian. Although rare, women infected during their pregnancy can pass the virus to their newborn. Among the 12,919 births where there was testing information, 63 infants tested positive for COVID-19. Twelve pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19 tragically passed away.

Because pregnant and recently pregnant women are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant women, Public Health continues to urge and offer vaccination to women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and pregnancy experts, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the American College of Nurse-Midwives recommend that pregnant and lactating women be vaccinated against COVID-19. Studies have affirmed the vaccines’ safety in all stages of pregnancy and the vaccines do not cause any fertility problems.

Resources are available to assist pregnant women and women of childbearing age get the facts, at: http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/vaccine/WomenAndCOVIDvaccine.pdf

Today, Public Health confirms 16 new deaths and 742 new cases of COVID-19. The number of cases and deaths are likely to reflect reporting delays over the holiday. Of the 16 new deaths reported today, two people who passed away were over the age of 80, five people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, seven people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, and two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49. To date, Public Health identified 1,472,419 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 26,336 deaths.

There are 667 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for nearly 8,805,000 individuals with 15% of people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 0.8%.

“To everyone mourning the passing of a loved one, we wish you healing and peace,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Along with the CDC and pregnancy experts, we continue to strongly recommend expecting and new moms to get vaccinated against COVID-19. According to a CDC study on pregnant and recently pregnant women with COVID-19, symptomatic pregnant women compared with non-pregnant symptomatic women have more than a two-fold increased risk of requiring ICU admission and a 70% increased risk of death. The evidence continues to highlight the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, but also shows the risk to pregnant women when they are not vaccinated and get COVID-19.”

Public Health encourages everyone unvaccinated for COVID-19 to get vaccinated now to be fully protected for the holidays. Vaccinations are widely available throughout L.A. County and are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status. Appointments are not needed at many sites and all Public Health vaccination sites where first, second, and third doses are available.

Vaccinated middle and high school students are eligible for free UCLA football tickets. UCLA has partnered with Public Health to give away free tickets to a UCLA football game at the Rose Bowl to middle or high school students in L.A. County who’ve received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while tickets last. Students aged 12 to 18 who’ve received at least one dose can sign up for the free tickets online by visiting: http://ph.lacounty.gov/DPHUCLAVaxforTix.

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, 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.

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