Worried about Omicron variant? Get vaccinated, LA County urges

Again claiming the numbers are impervious of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness, Los Angeles County wellness officials connected Monday, Nov. 29 reported a crisp diminution successful the fig of microorganism infections among residents and unit of skilled nursing facilities, wherever inoculations and booster shots person been wide administered.

According to the region Department of Public Health, determination were 92 caller COVID cases among residents and unit of skilled nursing facilities the week of Oct. 22, but that fig fell to 34 for the week ending Nov. 14. County officials said the 63% diminution occurred during a clip erstwhile cases countywide fell conscionable 6%.

An estimated 96% of nursing installation unit and 90% of residents are afloat vaccinated, according to the county, and 98% of the facilities are administering booster doses.

“Over the people of our month-long thrust to rotation retired boosters successful skilled nursing facilities, cases and hospitalizations dropped among the residents of these facilities acold much dramatically than they did among the colonisation astatine large,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said successful a statement. “Clearly boosters, on with precise precocious vaccination sum with 2 doses among unit and residents, marque a quality by enhancing protection.

“We promote each adults 18 and implicit eligible for booster doses to spell up and get that booster dose arsenic an important mode to support from getting infected and spreading the virus. Since transmission remains important crossed the county, this further boost makes a difference.”

Health officials besides urged vaccinations and booster shots for residents to ward disconnected the imaginable menace of the Omicron variant, a recently labeled variant of interest that immoderate adept fearfulness could pb to different imaginable surge successful cases. In the aftermath of Omicron, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention connected Monday stepped up its proposal for 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.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health addressed the caller variant connected Saturday.

“Although much studies are needed to find whether the Omicron variant is much contagious, much deadly oregon resistant to vaccine and treatments than different COVID-19 strains, arsenic with immoderate variant of interest that is recovered successful different countries, determination are important steps we each request to instrumentality to support ourselves from COVID-19 and from emerging variants of concern,” according to a section statement.

Officials urged anyone astatine slightest 5 years aged who has not been vaccinated to bash so, and those who had their past changeable six months agone to get a booster shot. “The vaccines are effectual against the Delta variant and earlier strains of the virus, which allows america to stay hopeful that the approved vaccines volition besides supply immoderate extortion against Omicron,” the connection said.

Officials besides reminded radical to deterioration a disguise erstwhile indoors oregon astatine ample outdoor mega-events careless of vaccination status.

The region connected Monday reported different 10 COVID deaths, raising the virus-related decease toll to 27,138.

Another 794 caller cases were besides reported, giving the region a cumulative pandemic full of 1,526,272.

The numbers of cases and deaths thin to beryllium little connected Mondays owed to delays successful reporting from the weekend.

According to authorities figures, determination were 569 COVID-19-positive patients successful region hospitals arsenic of Monday, up somewhat from 568 connected Sunday. The fig of those patients successful intensive attraction was 159, up from 157 a time earlier.

The rolling mean regular complaint of radical investigating affirmative for the microorganism successful the region was 2.45%, up from past week’s regular complaint of astir 1%. County wellness officials attributed the summation the important driblet successful wide investigating owed to schools being closed for the holidays. Many schools mandate play COVID investigating for students and staff.

According to astir caller figures, 82% of region residents 12 and implicit had received astatine slightest 1 dose of COVID vaccine, and 73% were afloat vaccinated. Of the county’s wide colonisation of 10.3 cardinal people, 71% received astatine slightest 1 dose, and 63% were afloat vaccinated.

Black residents continued to person the lowest vaccination rates, astatine 54%, followed by Latina/o residents astatine 59%, whites astatine 72% and Asians astatine 80%.

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%.