LA County COVID hospitalizations inch downward again

Los Angeles County radical hospitalized with COVID-19 ticked downward connected Saturday, Oct. 23.

The authorities dashboard reported 614 residents being treated successful the county’s hospitals, down 7 from Friday — with 175 successful intensive care, an summation of two.

The region reported different 15 COVID-19 deaths connected Saturday, raising the wide decease toll from the pandemic to 26,540.

Another 1,173 caller cases were besides confirmed, giving the region a cumulative pandemic full of 1,484,192. The rolling regular mean complaint of radical investigating affirmative for the microorganism was 0.7% arsenic of Saturday.

Meanwhile, with national support successful hand, region providers person begun offering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to radical who antecedently received immoderate of the 3 vaccinations successful circulation.

Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, manager of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approved the wider organisation of booster shots Friday, pursuing a proposal Thursday from a CDC advisory panel.

Booster doses had antecedently been disposable lone for radical who received the Pfizer vaccine during their archetypal doses. The caller CDC support present offers booster shots to radical who received the Moderna oregon Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Under the national guidance, radical tin person a antithetic marque of booster changeable than their archetypal doses.

Booster shots are disposable for radical who are:

— 65 years of property oregon older;

— Aged 18 and older and surviving successful semipermanent attraction settings;

— Aged 18 and older with underlying aesculapian conditions; and

— Aged 18 and older and surviving oregon moving successful high-risk settings.

People who received the two-dose Pfizer oregon Moderna shots should not person a booster until astatine slightest six months aft their past dose. For the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, radical indispensable hold astatine slightest 2 months aft their shot.

“While we proceed prioritizing getting unvaccinated radical vaccinated against COVID-19, we promote everyone who is eligible to heighten their immunity by getting a booster dose,” region Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “It is important that those astatine precocious hazard due to the fact that of their age, underlying wellness conditions oregon occupational mounting get their booster dose, and we’re encouraging radical that autumn into these higher-risk categories, to delight marque definite you are getting your boosters good earlier the holidays.”

Most vaccination sites bash not necessitate appointments, and shots are usually disposable connected a walk-in basis. However, appointments tin beryllium made astatine www.VaccinateLACounty.com, oregon successful Spanish, www.VacunateLosAngeles.com.

According to numbers released Thursday, 79% of eligible region residents aged 12 and older person received astatine slightest 1 dose of vaccine, and 71% are afloat vaccinated.

City News Service contributed to this report