Former Councilmember John Duran has been doing daily COVID updates on his Facebook page since March 2020. Many members of the community have found them helpful. They are republished here with his permission.
LA County Cases 1,246,821 (up from 1,246,619) LA County Deaths 24,421 (up from 24,416) LA Positivity Rate .4% (unchanged at .4%) LA Hospitalizations 216 (up from 218)
159 new COVID Cases announced in LA County yesterday along with 12 additional deaths. Poistivity rate DROPS down to half of one percent (.5%). Hospitalizations slightly up but remain low at 338.
CALIFORNIA’S REBOUND
We hit a reassuring milestone this week as COVID deaths and new cases plummeted to dramatic new lows. The lowest average number of daily deaths in more than 13 months ! With a full reopening of the State less than one month away, a new poll shows most Californians support letting workplaces and other venues require proof of vaccine – despite a big partisan split over so called “vaccine passports”.
A poll by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley talked to 10,000 registered voters in CA. 2/3rds of those surveyed said businesses like concert venues, sports stadiums, cruise ships and casinos should be allowed to check vaccination records. 1/3 of those surveyed were opposed.
In LA County, there is still a significant racial gap in vaccination numbers. Only 37% of Black residents and 41% of Latino residents have received a dose of vaccine compared to 60% of Whites. Time to up the ante to push past the fears in those communities. The vaccines are free. They are widely available now. And no appointment necessary. Just need to push past fear of inoculation and get it done!
ORANGE COUNTY MOVES INTO YELLOW
The OC has now joined LA in the more lenient yellow tier category for re opening. In addition to Orange County, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Amador counties also advanced to the yellow tier.
Remember back in March, 40 of California’s 58 counties were in the purple tier – the most restrictive. We are now just thirty days away from showing what California’s grit and determination has wrought: low numbers of infections and deaths in a state of 40 million people. Now ZERO of California counties are in the purple tier.
Reaching the yellow tier requires an adjusted daily rate of fewer than 2 new cases per 100,000 people, an overall positivity rate of less than 2% and a health equity positivity of below 2.2%. So congratulations to the County of Orange – home to 2 million people! Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are getting closer to yellow. But the Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino counties) and San Diego are still far away.
Gratefully – ONE HALF of Californian’s residents are FULLY vaccinated. Wow. 40 million people. And we are working well together.
MEANWHILE, POOR PICO RIVERA …….
I was raised in Santa Fe Springs. Next community over was Pico Rivera. It is a working class Latino city where 97% of the school kids are Latino. Pico Rivera has decided they are not ready to re open their schools. Too much trauma and grief in their community.
The case rate in Pico Rivera was 119 per 10,000 residents back in November. By January, it had reached 130 per 10,000 residents. So many kids have lost parents, grand parents and other relatives. Dense living and overcrowded housing. Many working class people in service industries. Essential workers unable to escape the virus.
Too much tragedy in this small suburban town next to Whittier and Santa Fe Springs. Step up the vaccines! Time to ease the pain.
Going to be 76 degrees in LA Today. Enjoy our sunny day…..
