The Los Angeles Post

Los Angeles County COVID-19 Response Plan Updated to Align with Current Phase of the Pandemic

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Monitoring Hospital Admissions, Early Alert Signals Will Shape Future Guidance

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) updated its COVID-19 Response Plan this week to align with the new phase of the pandemic and the recent lifting of emergency declarations. While no longer operating under a Public Health Emergency, important planning and preparedness continues to protect the health of those who are most at risk of severe outcomes due to COVID-19 and to keep Los Angeles County prepared in the case of future increases in COVID-19 transmission.

The Response Plan utilizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 hospital admission levels, a new framework for introduced last month to replace the CDC Community Levels. A 7-day total of less than 10 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people is considered Low Hospital Admission Level. Between 10.0-19.9 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people is considered Medium Hospital Admission Level and over 20 per 100,000 people is considered High. Los Angeles County is currently in the Low Hospital Admission Level.

The local CDC Hospital Admission Level will guide recommendations and requirements to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, keeping in mind the disproportionate impact of the virus on vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, Public Health’s eight COVID-19 Early Alert Metrics, which include wastewater and variant monitoring, emergency department visits, and outbreaks in more susceptible settings, play a critical role in anticipating the possibility of future COVID-19 waves. Currently, all eight Early Alert metrics are in low.

Public Health also monitors 12 preparedness metrics, designed to track how prepared the county is to respond to potential changes in COVID-19 transmission. Across the 12 metrics, two are currently classified as “needs improvement.” They are the number of positive case specimens that are sequenced in the most recent two-week period and the percentage of residents 65 and older who have received the bivalent booster. Increasing the number of specimens sequenced will help provided more information about potential new variants gaining dominance locally. Higher booster rates among older residents can reduce severe illness and death among this vulnerable population. Just 40% of all eligible Los Angeles County residents, ages 65 and older, have received the bivalent booster. To meet the threshold for “adequate,” at least 60% would have to be boosted.

Within the Response Plan, residents can find recommended guidance on masking, testing and other appropriate mitigation measures for individuals, including for those who have been exposed to COVID-19 or tested positive. It also includes guidance for sites with higher risk of outbreaks or where populations are more susceptible to severe impact from COVID-19, such as skilled nursing facilities, health care and congregate care facilities, correctional and detention facilities, homeless and emergency shelters, and public transit. The full response plan is available at ph.lacounty.gov/COVIDresponseplan.

“To those who have lost a loved one to COVID-19, please accept my deepest sympathies. I hope you are surrounded by love and support during this difficult time,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “While lower numbers of hospitalizations and deaths bring relief to many, it is important to acknowledge that people continue to be impacted by COVID-19 on a daily basis. In Los Angeles County we remain prepared to support those most vulnerable by ensuring access to life-saving tools (including vaccines, tests, and therapeutics) and providing accurate information.  Measures in response to COVID-19 will continue to be data driven as we observe rates of hospitalization and emergency room encounters, as well as outbreaks among vulnerable groups. We also are aligning preparedness resources to partner with residents and businesses should we need to implement protective actions that support the health of LA County residents and workers.”

The 7-day average number of COVID hospitalizations is 189 this week. Reported weekly deaths this week is 40, an increase from 35 one week prior. As of Tuesday, May 30, there have been a total of 36,378 deaths in Los Angeles County.

Vaccines remain one of the best tools individuals can use to protect themselves from severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Vaccines remain free and easily accessible in Los Angeles County.  Everyone ages six months and older should have at least one dose of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine which provides substantial protection against newer Omicron strains. Residents can visit VaccinateLACounty.com or VacunateLosAngeles.com (en español) to find a vaccination location near them.

For residents who have difficulties leaving their home, Public Health offers free in-home COVID-19 vaccine and booster appointments. Appointments may be booked at ph.lacounty.gov/vaxathome, or ph.lacounty.gov/vacunacionencasa (en español) or by calling the Public Health COVID-19 Call Center at 1-833-540-0473.

Public Health’s Call Center also connects eligible residents to free telehealth to get COVID-19 medications, information, and other resources. Residents are encouraged to call 1-833-540-0473, available daily between 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., to access these services.

Public Health reports COVID-19 data weekly. The following table shows case, wastewater, emergency department, hospitalization, and death data in Los Angeles County over the past four weeks.

Metric

Date of Weekly Report

5/31/2023

5/24/2023

5/17/2023

5/10/2023

Weekly cases reported1,2

1,801

2,157

2,323

2,266

SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration as a percentage of the Winter 2022-2023 peak concentration value3

11%

9%

10%

11%

7-day average of the percent of Emergency Department (ED) encounters classified as coronavirus-related3,4

2.3%

2.7%

3.0%

2.8%

7-day average number of COVID-positive hospitalizations3,4

189*

191*

225*

260

Weekly deaths reported2

40

35

20

46

1) Case counts are an underrepresentation of the true number of infections, largely due to home tests which are not reported to DPH. Despite this, the trend in reported case counts from week to week is still an indicator of overall trends in transmission.

2) Weekly case and death counts represent the number of cases and deaths reported for the week ending each Tuesday. The date a case/death is reported by DPH is not the same as the date of testing or death.

3) Time periods covered by each metric: wastewater = week ending each Saturday, with a one-week lag; ED data = week ending each Sunday; hospitalizations = week ending each Sunday.

4) Data for past weeks is subject to change in future reports.

*Due to a reporting transition at the state level and subsequent underreporting from hospitals, this value is an undercount. Efforts are actively underway to address the underreporting.

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov including:

Cases through 12:00pm 5/29/2023

 

Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases

3,747,583

— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

3,543,038

— Long Beach

164,260

— Pasadena

40,285

Deaths

36,378

— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

34,521

— Long Beach

1,410

— Pasadena

447

Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

– 0 to 4

111,986

– 5 to 11

283,128

– 12 to 17

277,865

– 18 to 29

759,162

– 30 to 49

1,135,482

– 50 to 64

615,103

– 65 to 79

264,682

–  over 80

93,085

–  Under Investigation

2,545

Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  Female

1,828,540

–  Male

1,623,687

–  Other

1,794

–  Under Investigation

89,017

Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  American Indian/Alaska Native

6,717

–  Asian

263,955

–  Black

186,119

–  Hispanic/Latino

1,514,300

–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

17,731

–  White

492,057

–  Other

406,773

–  Under Investigation

655,386

Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  Hospitalized (Ever)

177,677

Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  American Indian/Alaska Native

80

–  Asian

4,502

–  Black

3,237

–  Hispanic/Latino

16,877

–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

119

–  White

9,202

–  Other

414

–  Under Investigation

90