School Safety Measures Continue to Drive Down Positive Tests Among School Staff and Students

LOS ANGELES — Schools across the county continue implementing safety measures that are helping to drive down several COVID-19 metrics among students and staff. For the week of Jan. 24 to 28, schools conducted 486,616 tests that resulted in 21,472 positive tests (with 14,872 positive tests from LAUSD). This is a 47% decrease from the 40,694 positive tests from the week prior. The test positivity rate also decreased by 37% to 4.4% compared to 7% for the week prior.

While test positivity and the number of positive tests in schools continue to decline, the number of outbreaks increased slightly.  As of Jan. 31, there were 52 active school outbreaks, including 18 new outbreaks (14 in elementary schools, three in youth sports and one in a high school) between Jan. 23 to 29. Although the number of new outbreaks in schools rose, the number is relatively modest thanks to school-based safety measures, including masking and testing, that reduce spread.

Public Health continues working with schools across the county to implement a comprehensive strategy that includes over 900 school-based vaccine clinics scheduled for February where first, second and third doses will be available. Additionally, Public Health has begun distributing an additional 1 million home test kits this week to public, charter, and independent/private schools in areas of high need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  or CDC has also approved an additional 615,000 professional rapid tests for LA County schools through the White House rapid test kit program and the state is delivering over 170,000 at-home test kits this week to be distributed to schools.

This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or FDA has approved the license for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine after a thorough evaluation of the quality, safety, and effectiveness data by a panel of scientific and medical experts. The vaccine is now fully approved for use in people 18 and older. 

Public Health has identified a total 2,683,644 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 8.8%.

There are 3,515 people with COVID-19 now hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 11,091,800 individuals, with 22% of people testing positive.

Details: www.publichealth.lacounty.gov