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)
229 new COVID Cases announced yesterday along with 12 additional deaths. Positivity rate remains low at less than half of one percent. Hospitalizations DROP BELOW 300 for the first time since the surges.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
It’s here. Summer is starting. Cold on the East Coast. Almost freezing in Chicago. Hot and sticky in Miami and Texas. But here in LA – its going to be sunny and 75 degrees. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just right.
It’s this weather that brought so many millions here to Southern CA. Not me. I was born and raised here in LA County. This is my home eternally. I am ONE with the patterns and cycles of life around greater Los Angeles.
Memorial Day weekend is capped with the memory of those women and men who gave their lives to protect our Democracy. To protect our Constitution. To protect our history. There are many domestic threats today to these pillars. They are worth fighting for. They are worth dying for. And woe to all those who would attempt to decimate free elections, democratic process, the rule of law and liberty. We are watching and monitoring your flirtation with authoritarianism closely. You will not prevail. Too many lives spent in sacrifice to give us what we have.
Last Memorial Day – do you remember? We had just come out of the March/April lockdowns here in CA. We were all sheltering at home. We all thought that 30 days of lockup was unbearable and unimaginable. So, when it appeared that the COVID Cases were on the decrease and stabilizing about Memorial Day weekend 2020, we all burst out into holiday weekend mode. Barbecues. Pool parties. Beaches. Shopping malls with movies. It was a holiday weekend and we were ready for our traditional ways of being.
Except that we ventured out too soon. And last Memorial Day weekend became the point of origin for the summer surge that would follow. Which would later be eclipsed by the unimaginable winter surge of 2020 and 2021.
But not this year. This Memorial Day weekend will be different from last year. Beaches and hiking trails are open. Disneyland and Universal Studios are open. Restaurants are serving meals inside. Dodger and Angel stadiums are open. The Hollywood Bowl is going to seat at 100% capacity.
And why?
Because 2/3rds of Californians age 12 or older have received at least one vaccination shot. Two thirds! (50% fully vaccinated). Of the roughly 15 million of us who are fully vaccinated, only .03% have contracted COVID. Nationally, more than 130 million Americans are fully vaccinated (Thanks Joe!). With this many vaccinated in California this year (added to those who had COVID already and have antibodies) – there will be no future spikes or surges this summer. We will never see again what we saw last winter. We have come through the great tribulation.
Strike up the coals. Get out the beach towel. Put on the hiking shoes. Warm and sunny today.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
