The Los Angeles Post

With Worksite Outbreaks Rising, Public Health Outlines Best Practices to Limit COVID-19 Transmission, Workplace Disruptions

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With worksite outbreaks on the rise, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) reminds employers to review measures aimed at limiting COVID-19 transmission in the workplace and the preventable disruptions that may result from them.

In Los Angeles County, during the 30-day period ending Sept. 1, Public Health opened 73 new COVID-19 outbreak investigations, nearly three times the number of outbreak investigations opened during the prior 30-day period.

During the most recent 30-day period ending Sept. 1, Public Health received 154 cluster reports from worksites. Worksites are required to report clusters of three or more possibly connected COVID-19 cases over a 7-day period to Public Health within 24 hours of becoming aware of the situation. If upon investigation, the cluster meets the criteria for a worksite outbreak, meaning there is confirmed transmission at a site, a Public Health case manager will be assigned to help guide the worksite response.

Businesses can report possible COVID-19 clusters to Public Health online. For answers to questions about what and when to report, email [email protected].gov or call 1-888-397-3993.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) guidelines note that employers should have procedures in place for seeking information from employees related to COVID-19 cases and close contacts in the workplace, including collecting and keeping confidential records of all COVID-19 cases.

Once a COVID-19 case is identified, the person who tests positive will need to isolate and not return to work for a minimum of five days. Employees may return to the workplace on the sixth day after testing positive if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and their symptoms are mild or improving. For those employees who meet the criteria to end isolation and return to work on day six, Cal/OSHA requires masking through day 10 at workplaces.

Employers should inform all close contacts of their exposure within one business day of the case identification in a manner that does not reveal personal information related to the case.

Exposed workers should wear a high-quality, well-fitted mask around others for 10 days, which the employer is required to supply. Anyone exposed should test 3-5 days after their last close contact with the COVID-positive individual. Per Cal/OSHA, employers must offer testing at no cost to employees who have had a workplace exposure during paid time.

Following a set of best practices can help reduce the chance of transmission and related disruptions in the workplace. This includes encouraging employees to stay up to date on their vaccines. This fall, employers should consider giving time off for workers to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine or they can host a vaccination event at their worksite.

Additionally, employers should actively encourage and provide support for employees to remain home when sick and to follow mask rules outlined by Cal/OSHA and recommended by Public Health. Employers are also responsible for providing adequate resources for handwashing and regular cleaning of surfaces. Increasing ventilation can significantly help to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Detailed information, and resources including workplace signage, can be found at ph.lacounty.gov/COVIDBusiness.

Reported outbreaks in other sectors have also increased this past week including a 43 percent increase at schools with 33 newly opened school outbreaks this week, up from 23 the prior week. This reflects the continued higher rate of spread of COVID-19, and means that sensible protections, such as remaining home when sick, frequent handwashing, testing when exposed or ill, and wearing a well-fitting mask where required or appropriate, are appropriate steps everyone can take.

To access free telehealth services for treatment for those testing positive for COVID, contact the Public Health Call Center, seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., at 1-833-540-0473.

Los Angeles County remains in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Low Hospital Admission Level with 7.4 weekly COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people, reported on Sept. 5 for the seven-day period ending Aug. 26, an increase from 6.3 hospital admissions last week.

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

9/6/2023

8/30/2023

8/23/2023

8/16/2023

Daily average cases

569

571

512

384

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

29%

26%

28%

22%

Daily average of the percent of Emergency Department (ED) encounters classified as coronavirus-related

5.0%

5.1%

4.4%

3.9%

Daily average number of COVID-positive hospitalizations

559

523

430

330

Daily average deaths

1.3

1.0

1.7

1.0

Percent of all deaths due to COVID-19

2.9%

2.8%

0.9%

0.9%

All daily averages are 7-day averages. Data for past weeks are subject to change in future reports. Time periods covered by each metric: cases = week ending each Saturday; wastewater = week ending each Saturday, with a one-week lag; ED data = week ending each Sunday; hospitalizations = week ending each Saturday; deaths = week ending each Monday, with a three-week lag; death percentage = week ending Monday, with a one-week lag. Hospitalization counts do not include Prospect Hospitals, which on average make up 2% of hospitalizations in LA County.

Case data is presented by episode date, an approximation of the date the illness began, and death data is presented by date of death. This is a change from how case and death data were presented prior to July 26, 2023, which was by date of report. Daily average cases do not include Long Beach and Pasadena; daily average deaths include Long Beach and Pasadena.

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

  • Los Angeles County Department of Public Health:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Cases through 12:00pm 9/4/2023

 

 

Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases (includes LB and Pas through 6/27/23; excludes LB and Pas after 6/27/23)

 

3,789,034

Deaths (includes LB and Pas)

 

36,651

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

 

– 0 to 4

114,323

– 5 to 11

284,272

– 12 to 17

278,973

– 18 to 29

764,747

– 30 to 49

1,146,579

– 50 to 64

623,736

– 65 to 79

271,890

–  over 80

96,940

–  Under Investigation

2,581

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

 

–  Female

1,851,702

–  Male

1,641,150

–  Other

1,867

–  Under Investigation

89,322

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

 

–  American Indian/Alaska Native

6,805

–  Asian

267,804

–  Black

189,834

–  Hispanic/Latino

1,527,364

–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

17,916

–  White

499,543

–  Other

413,200

–  Under Investigation

661,575

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

 

–  Hospitalized (Ever)

183,993

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

 

–  American Indian/Alaska Native

81

–  Asian

4,550

–  Black

3,265

–  Hispanic/Latino

16,945

–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

114

–  White

9,283

–  Other

433

–  Under Investigation

91