As omicron strain arrives in state, LA County officials boost vaccines, patience

The fig of radical hospitalized with COVID-19 successful Los Angeles County ticked upward somewhat connected Wednesday, Dec. 1 , portion wellness officials again urged radical to get vaccinated oregon person a booster changeable successful effect to the find successful Northern California of the Omicron variant of the virus.

The Omicron variant was archetypal identified successful South Africa, and it was designated a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization past week. Although nary cases of the variant person been confirmed successful Los Angeles oregon Southern California, wellness officials person said it is apt already circulating successful the United States.

“While the dispersed of Omicron crossed the globe is worrisome, we person some pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions astatine manus to respond to the emergence of a caller variant of concern,” region Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said successful a statement. “We tin trim transmission by getting vaccinated, wearing masks, keeping our region and avoiding crowds, investigating and quarantining. Every enactment we instrumentality present to trim dispersed volition help.”

Research is inactive being conducted connected the Omicron variant to find if it is perchance much resistant to vaccines, much easy transmitted oregon a root of much superior illness. State officials said Wednesday, however, they were encouraged that the diligent who tested affirmative for the variant successful San Francisco was afloat vaccinated and developed lone mild symptoms that are improving.

That idiosyncratic was not hospitalized.

According to authorities figures, determination were 574 radical hospitalized with COVID-19 successful Los Angeles County arsenic of Wednesday, up from 562 connected Tuesday. The fig of those patients successful intensive attraction was 158, down from 165 a time earlier.

The region connected Wednesday reported different 18 COVID-19 deaths, raising the wide fig of virus-related fatalities successful the region to 27,184. Another 1,473 caller cases were besides confirmed, for a pandemic full of 1,528,586.

The rolling mean regular complaint of radical investigating affirmative for the microorganism successful the region was 1.7% connected Wednesday, a driblet from Tuesday but inactive supra past week’s complaint of astir 1%.

Ferrer told the region Board of Supervisors connected Tuesday that contempt the quality of the Omicron variant, nary contiguous changes to the Health Officer Order are anticipated that would tighten infection-control regulations.

She said the region already has “really sensible precautions successful place,” astir notably the request for radical to deterioration masks indoors and astatine ample outdoor gatherings. She said if the region didn’t already person that mandate successful place, “we’d beryllium suggesting it” successful effect to the Omicron variant.

Ferrer said the region mightiness marque immoderate changes to rules governing visitation and investigating astatine skilled nursing facilities, peculiarly if Omicron is recovered to beryllium much resistant to existent COVID vaccines. The region could besides perchance re-impose quarantine requirements for radical who whitethorn person been exposed to COVID, careless of vaccination status.

The region connected Tuesday sent an advisory to wellness attraction providers “detailing accusation connected assessing hazard associated with question and directions for submitting samples for sequencing (to place variants),” Ferrer said.

She said the region was besides moving with the authorities to “provide accusation and connection a rapid-testing enactment for planetary travelers astatine LAX,” and to guarantee travelers arriving from Omicron-affected countries successful South Africa are alert of national requirements for quarantine and testing.

In the aftermath of Omicron, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention connected Monday stepped up its vaccine recommendation, urging everyone aged 18 and implicit to get a booster shot. The CDC had earlier recommended the shots for those aged 50 and up, and lone suggested it for younger adults.

According to the astir caller figures, 82.5% of Los Angeles County residents 12 and implicit person received astatine slightest 1 dose of COVID vaccine, and 74% are afloat vaccinated. Of the county’s wide colonisation of 10.3 cardinal people, 71% received astatine slightest 1 dose, and 63% were afloat vaccinated.

Of the astir 5.99 cardinal residents who were afloat vaccinated arsenic of Nov. 16, 75,249 person subsequently tested affirmative for the virus, for a complaint of 1.26%, Ferrer said. Of the vaccinated population, 2,528 person been hospitalized, for a complaint of 0.042%, and 422 person died, a complaint of 0.007%.