Public Health Warns Repeating Thanksgiving Mistakes Could Have Disastrous Consequences

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health or Public Health has confirmed 56 new deaths and 11,271 new cases of COVID-19. To date, Public Health identified 634,849 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 8,931 deaths.  

Since November 9, average daily deaths have increased from 12 average deaths per day to 84 average deaths per day last week.

Since the beginning of the surge in November, cases have increased by a staggering 862%. For the past three weeks, the County has nearly tripled the daily average number of cases; from 4,000 new cases a day to over 14,000 new cases a day.  

Public Health again confirms the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations reported in a day with 5,709 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Of the 5,709 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized, 21% of these people are in the ICU.  Since November 9, average daily hospitalizations of people with COVID-19 increased more than 650%. 

Without a change in how we celebrate the winter holidays, Public Health warns that Los Angeles County will experience a surge on top of a surge on top of a surge. Hospitals are already over capacity and the high-quality medical care we are accustomed to in LA County is beginning to be compromised as our frontline healthcare workers are beyond stretched to the limit. 

L.A. County continues to experience a surge in cases among healthcare workers. This past week, 2,191 healthcare workers tested positive for COVID-19. In the last three weeks there have been over 5,500 new cases among healthcare workers. In early November there were 40 new cases among healthcare workers per day; last week there were 313 new cases of COVID-19 among healthcare workers per day.

The significant increases in cases among our healthcare system is happening at the very time we need our healthcare workers healthy and available to treat the thousands of new COVID-19 patients, and all the other urgent cases that enter our hospitals. 

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine recently received emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent COVID-19 severe illness and shipments began going out on Sunday.  In addition to the Pfizer vaccine, this is the second COVID-19 vaccine that is allowed to be distributed throughout the country. Public Health anticipates receiving 116,600 doses of the Moderna vaccine in this first shipment later this week.  These vaccines will be used to protect workers and residents at 338 skilled nursing facilities in L.A. County. Estimates indicate that 70,000 healthcare workers and residents in these facilities will be offered the Moderna vaccine. Vaccine also will go to L.A. County EMTs and paramedics on the frontlines of the pandemic. Public Health anticipates nearly 16,000 EMTs and paramedics will be receiving the Moderna vaccine in this first round. Additionally, Moderna vaccine doses will be used to inoculate an additional 300 healthcare worker teams serving as vaccinators and recorders.

Last week, L.A. County received its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine. This shipment represented 82,873 doses that have been distributed to 83 acute care hospitals through the county. A second allotment of 48,750 Pfizer vaccine is anticipated to arrive this week and will continue to be used to vaccinate healthcare workers at acute care hospitals.

Details: www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.