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With New Federal COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance, Public Health Encourages Eligible Residents to Get Bivalent Vaccines, Boosters

Everyone Ages 6 Months and Older Should Have At Least One Bivalent Vaccine Dose

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Covid 19

With New Federal COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance, Public Health Encourages Eligible Residents to Get Bivalent Vaccines, Boosters.

Everyone Ages 6 Months and Older Should Have At Least One Bivalent Vaccine Dose

Two days after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidance, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is asking residents, especially older people, to check and make sure they have the most up-to-date protection available, which includes at least one bivalent booster.

On Wednesday, the CDC gave adults 65 years and older the option to get a second bivalent booster at least four months after their first dose, resulting in new eligibility for more than 335,000 Los Angeles County residents. They also made a second bivalent booster available to people who are immunocompromised at least two months after their first bivalent booster.

In addition, the CDC replaced the original monovalent vaccines, formulated for the original COVID-19 strain, an action that took effect this week in Los Angeles County. Anyone not yet vaccinated can now get a single dose of the bivalent booster in place of the multi-dose series for the most up-to-date protection against COVID-19 infection.

For many of the 1.7 million residents of Los Angeles County who have already received the bivalent booster, their protections are up to date, and they are not eligible for additional doses at this time. The bivalent booster was approved in September and is proven effective against the currently circulating Omicron strains. Anyone vaccinated before September has not yet gotten a bivalent dose.

As older adults remain among the most vulnerable to hospitalization and death due to COVID-19, it is especially important that the county’s nearly 750,000 residents 65 and older who haven’t received their first bivalent booster consider taking advantage of the added protection.

Studies and clinical data provide mounting evidence on the effectiveness of the bivalent vaccine at reducing the risk of symptomatic infection and severe illness, especially among people 65 and older. Local data correlates well with the research findings.

Hospitalization rates, as of the 90-day period ending April 3, were nearly double for people 65 and older who were vaccinated without the updated bivalent booster compared to people in the same age group who were vaccinated and received the bivalent booster.  And those unvaccinated in this age group were five times more likely to be hospitalized than those who were vaccinated and received the bivalent booster.

For the 90-day period ending March 27, among residents 65 and older, those who were vaccinated without the bivalent booster died from COVID-19 at twice the rate of people who were vaccinated and had received the bivalent booster. Unvaccinated residents 65 and older had the highest death rate from COVID-19 and were six times more likely to die than those in this age group who were vaccinated and had received the bivalent booster.

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Public Health is offering bivalent vaccines and boosters to eligible residents at no cost at hundreds of locations throughout Los Angeles County, regardless of their insurance or immigration status. Vaccination locations and appointments can be found at VaccinateLACounty.com or VacunateLosAngeles.com (en español) or by calling 1-833-540-0473.

For residents who have difficulties leaving their home, Public Health offers free in-home COVID-19 vaccine and booster appointments. Appointments may be booked at ph.lacounty.gov/vaxathome or by calling the Public Health COVID-19 Call Center at 1-833-540-0473.

In Los Angeles County, XBB.1.5 remains the dominant variant, and regular variant surveillance is not indicating that any new strains are rapidly gaining dominance. Public Health is also tracking five new strains XBB.1.5.1, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.9.2, XBB.1.16, and FD.2, following the lead of the CDC, which recently added these to their variant tracker dashboard, which happens when the strain accounts for 1% or more of sequenced specimens nationally. All the new strains are descendants of Omicron and circulating at very low levels in Los Angeles County; the bivalent vaccine is expected to provide protection against them.

“I would like to offer my condolences to those who have lost a loved one to COVID-19 and wish you  comfort and healing,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “While vaccines are not a guarantee against severe illness and death, the data we have illustrates the very real protection offered by the bivalent booster even against the newer variants circulating now. I know that sorting through the new guidance can seem complicated, however, there is one simple way to think about it: everyone 6 months and older should have at least one bivalent booster, whether that is their first COVID vaccine, or their fifth, or one in a series for young children. And those who are 65 and older or immunocompromised now have the option to receive additional bivalent doses. As we think about the implications of the new vaccine guidance, it is worth noting how many millions of people in Los Angeles County can take an action immediately to increase their protection from severe illness from COVID-19.”

The weekly reported case count for COVID-19 increased slightly from the week prior from 3,023 last week to 3,114 this week, although the overall trend remains stable. Reported weekly deaths decreased slightly from 59 last week to 44 this week. The 7-day average number of COVID hospitalizations is 328 this week, a decrease from 348 last week.

Los Angeles County remains in the CDC’s Low COVID-19 Community Level for the 14th consecutive week. This includes a weekly reported case rate of 30 new cases per 100,000 people. The 7-day total for new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people is currently 3.2. And the 7-day average of the proportion of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients is now 1.9%.

As of Tuesday, April 18, there have been a total of 36,146 deaths in Los Angeles County.

Public Health is now reporting COVID data weekly. The following table shows the weekly reported case counts, average number of daily hospitalizations, and weekly reported death counts in Los Angeles County over the past four weeks.

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MetricDate of Weekly Report
 4/19/20234/12/20234/5/20233/29/2023
Weekly cases reported13,1143,0232,7313,505
SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration as a percentage of the Winter 2022-2023 peak concentration value214%14%14%21%
7-day average number of COVID-positive hospitalizations3328348378401
7-day average of the percent of Emergency Department (ED) encounters classified as coronavirus-related43.0%3.2%3.6%4.0%
Weekly deaths reported144595358
1) Weekly case and death counts represent the number of cases and deaths reported for the week ending each Tuesday. The date a case/death is reported by DPH is not the same as the date of testing or death.
2) Wastewater concentrations reflect the week ending each Saturday, with a one-week lag. 
3) Hospitalization data represents average number of COVID-positive hospitalizations for the week ending each Tuesday. Data for past weeks is subject to change in future reports.4) Emergency department data represents average number of coronavirus classified encounters for the week ending each Sunday. Data for past weeks is subject to change in future reports.

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov including:

COVID-19 Locations & Demographics (data by demographic characteristics and geography, active outbreaks, and citations)

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

Cases through 12:00pm 4/17/2023  
Total Cases 
Laboratory Confirmed Cases3,733,443 
— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)3,529,691 
— Long Beach163,670 
— Pasadena40,082 
Deaths36,146 
— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)34,293 
— Long Beach1,406 
— Pasadena447 
Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)  
– 0 to 4111,479 
– 5 to 11282,582 
– 12 to 17277,444 
– 18 to 29757,349 
– 30 to 491,131,882 
– 50 to 64612,292 
– 65 to 79262,273 
–  over 8092,000 
–  Under Investigation2,390 
Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)  
–  Female1,821,165 
–  Male1,617,998 
–  Other1,789 
–  Under Investigation88,739 
Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)  
–  American Indian/Alaska Native6,702 
–  Asian262,618 
–  Black185,246 
–  Hispanic/Latino1,510,311 
–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander17,666 
–  White489,775 
–  Other404,445 
–  Under Investigation652,928 
Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)  
–  Hospitalized (Ever)176,081 
Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)  
–  American Indian/Alaska Native80 
–  Asian4,458 
–  Black3,217 
–  Hispanic/Latino16,807 
–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander118 
–  White9,106 
–  Other414 
–  Under Investigation93 
CITY / COMMUNITY**CasesCase Rate
City of Agoura Hills632830302
City of Alhambra2538129266
City of Arcadia1361923581
City of Artesia598635642
City of Avalon2887444
City of Azusa1748434940
City of Baldwin Park2960338561
City of Bell1697346716
City of Bell Gardens1707839651
City of Bellflower3071639514
City of Beverly Hills1153833424
City of Bradbury716642
City of Burbank3273430541
City of Calabasas581223895
City of Carson3485037135
City of Cerritos1329226548
City of Claremont1036428407
City of Commerce*585444793
City of Compton4012640165
City of Covina2022041238
City of Cudahy1218750055
City of Culver City1188629816
City of Diamond Bar1360523655
City of Downey4665740833
City of Duarte748634003
City of El Monte4264036361
City of El Segundo406024187
City of Gardena2179735552
City of Glendale6014229125
City of Glendora1499228413
City of Hawaiian Gardens499934062
City of Hawthorne2952833257
City of Hermosa Beach471223955
City of Hidden Hills38020106
City of Huntington Park2626544155
City of Industry1011231350
City of Inglewood3863834018
City of Irwindale88260452
City of La Canada Flintridge452721877
City of La Habra Heights2133905
City of La Mirada1418028589
City of La Puente1596439226
City of La Verne921927700
City of Lakewood2696133549
City of Lancaster*6396439589
City of Lawndale1056631433
City of Lomita608629360
City of Lynwood*3115343240
City of Malibu287422174
City of Manhattan Beach742020612
City of Maywood1277145531
City of Monrovia1183730508
City of Montebello2540439463
City of Monterey Park1743928009
City of Norwalk4286139826
City of Palmdale6674141984
City of Palos Verdes Estates225316662
City of Paramount2268140485
City of Pico Rivera2803843616
City of Pomona6545641978
City of Rancho Palos Verdes772018060
City of Redondo Beach1553622615
City of Rolling Hills29515206
City of Rolling Hills Estates152918846
City of Rosemead1518027425
City of San Dimas*1110132162
City of San Fernando1275851837
City of San Gabriel1141527873
City of San Marino239418031
City of Santa Clarita7331333260
City of Santa Fe Springs787142861
City of Santa Monica2633628488
City of Sierra Madre240121849
City of Signal Hill409334695
City of South El Monte840440239
City of South Gate4709547980
City of South Pasadena631424235
City of Temple City1072629423
City of Torrance3421322921
City of Vernon357170813
City of Walnut753924692
City of West Covina3945836456
City of West Hollywood1126730492
City of Westlake Village4475347
City of Whittier3126735762
Los Angeles152499437704
Los Angeles – Adams-Normandie320639088
Los Angeles – Alsace450136167
Los Angeles – Angeles National Forest00
Los Angeles – Angelino Heights84533773
Los Angeles – Arleta1689949168
Los Angeles – Atwater Village507434597
Los Angeles – Baldwin Hills1020932800
Los Angeles – Bel Air244529007
Los Angeles – Beverly Crest333426619
Los Angeles – Beverlywood421632005
Los Angeles – Boyle Heights*4042946532
Los Angeles – Brentwood840327146
Los Angeles – Brookside15727022
Los Angeles – Cadillac-Corning229332201
Los Angeles – Canoga Park2528338725
Los Angeles – Carthay439530599
Los Angeles – Central1702643665
Los Angeles – Century City374329260
Los Angeles – Century Palms/Cove1627648202
Los Angeles – Chatsworth1290934832
Los Angeles – Cheviot Hills255527860
Los Angeles – Chinatown291536342
Los Angeles – Cloverdale/Cochran531936549
Los Angeles – Country Club Park490832390
Los Angeles – Crenshaw District532838528
Los Angeles – Crestview395034747
Los Angeles – Del Rey840728083
Los Angeles – Downtown*1619258865
Los Angeles – Eagle Rock1380234863
Los Angeles – East Hollywood952732530
Los Angeles – Echo Park449831552
Los Angeles – El Sereno1691940468
Los Angeles – Elysian Park184232248
Los Angeles – Elysian Valley357135110
Los Angeles – Encino1522533705
Los Angeles – Exposition127838425
Los Angeles – Exposition Park1825440639
Los Angeles – Faircrest Heights126035000
Los Angeles – Figueroa Park Square379243481
Los Angeles – Florence-Firestone2285148163
Los Angeles – Glassell Park1099834799
Los Angeles – Gramercy Place415338582
Los Angeles – Granada Hills2152036982
Los Angeles – Green Meadows1005846771
Los Angeles – Hancock Park474127824
Los Angeles – Harbor City939832329
Los Angeles – Harbor Gateway1568835982
Los Angeles – Harbor Pines64626816
Los Angeles – Harvard Heights615234111
Los Angeles – Harvard Park1800747468
Los Angeles – Highland Park1723235610
Los Angeles – Historic Filipinotown550339676
Los Angeles – Hollywood2166731745
Los Angeles – Hollywood Hills768126096
Los Angeles – Hyde Park1194241842
Los Angeles – Jefferson Park315039019
Los Angeles – Koreatown1621031358
Los Angeles – Lafayette Square159635008
Los Angeles – Lake Balboa1628038573
Los Angeles – Lakeview Terrace613846737
Los Angeles – Leimert Park577737919
Los Angeles – Lincoln Heights1281139301
Los Angeles – Little Armenia305738093
Los Angeles – Little Bangladesh866430568
Los Angeles – Little Tokyo147847175
Los Angeles – Longwood178041357
Los Angeles – Los Feliz641429683
Los Angeles – Manchester Square325738156
Los Angeles – Mandeville Canyon89928777
Los Angeles – Mar Vista1093825754
Los Angeles – Marina Peninsula96222064
Los Angeles – Melrose2625333789
Los Angeles – Mid-city448629847
Los Angeles – Miracle Mile492827401
Los Angeles – Mission Hills1191649395
Los Angeles – Mt. Washington823834119
Los Angeles – North Hills2528441062
Los Angeles – North Hollywood5907939016
Los Angeles – Northridge2559836675
Los Angeles – Pacific Palisades503423644
Los Angeles – Pacoima3885850479
Los Angeles – Palisades Highlands92223973
Los Angeles – Palms1204927461
Los Angeles – Panorama City3353544565
Los Angeles – Park La Brea325623976
Los Angeles – Pico-Union1639539183
Los Angeles – Playa Del Rey60318867
Los Angeles – Playa Vista342131251
Los Angeles – Porter Ranch1054929642
Los Angeles – Rancho Park224834268
Los Angeles – Regent Square87431439
Los Angeles – Reseda3211641918
Los Angeles – Reseda Ranch179438697
Los Angeles – Reynier Village118027909
Los Angeles – San Pedro*2618633555
Los Angeles – Shadow Hills132129739
Los Angeles – Sherman Oaks2769731743
Los Angeles – Silverlake1327830120
Los Angeles – South Carthay327130873
Los Angeles – South Park1688444477
Los Angeles – St Elmo Village187640925
Los Angeles – Studio City704331386
Los Angeles – Sun Valley2321944241
Los Angeles – Sunland692833947
Los Angeles – Sycamore Square21132612
Los Angeles – Sylmar*4219951214
Los Angeles – Tarzana1056434214
Los Angeles – Temple-Beaudry1352834264
Los Angeles – Thai Town280728617
Los Angeles – Toluca Lake256229435
Los Angeles – Toluca Terrace52940505
Los Angeles – Toluca Woods47325457
Los Angeles – Tujunga897932287
Los Angeles – University Hills93227180
Los Angeles – University Park1163842388
Los Angeles – Valley Glen1121837373
Los Angeles – Valley Village855134591
Los Angeles – Van Nuys*3768840440
Los Angeles – Venice916127036
Los Angeles – Vermont Knolls749543576
Los Angeles – Vermont Square375549040
Los Angeles – Vermont Vista1871245433
Los Angeles – Vernon Central2472147542
Los Angeles – Victoria Park282533635
Los Angeles – View Heights111330130
Los Angeles – Watts1964246028
Los Angeles – Wellington Square184437518
Los Angeles – West Adams1096539685
Los Angeles – West Hills1293531903
Los Angeles – West Los Angeles1161630864
Los Angeles – West Vernon2476246160
Los Angeles – Westchester1389126919
Los Angeles – Westlake2088335183
Los Angeles – Westwood1667730821
Los Angeles – Wholesale District*2221161477
Los Angeles – Wilmington2365441875
Los Angeles – Wilshire Center1716534214
Los Angeles – Winnetka1995338530
Los Angeles – Woodland Hills2058430246
Unincorporated – Acton201325254
Unincorporated – Agua Dulce99123834
Unincorporated – Altadena1167326761
Unincorporated – Anaverde42027851
Unincorporated – Angeles National Forest927390
Unincorporated – Arcadia224228092
Unincorporated – Athens-Westmont1754741343
Unincorporated – Athens Village282457668
Unincorporated – Avocado Heights273040295
Unincorporated – Azusa636839992
Unincorporated – Bassett620941905
Unincorporated – Bouquet Canyon20619199
Unincorporated – Bradbury135125000
Unincorporated – Canyon Country375648602
Unincorporated – Castaic*960235313
Unincorporated – Cerritos19232709
Unincorporated – Charter Oak1050000
Unincorporated – Claremont15922650
Unincorporated – Covina627937333
Unincorporated – Covina (Charter Oak)506438527
Unincorporated – Del Aire121927749
Unincorporated – Del Rey14645912
Unincorporated – Del Sur70429151
Unincorporated – Desert View Highlands95738387
Unincorporated – Duarte200645303
Unincorporated – East Covina9027356
Unincorporated – East La Mirada164731122
Unincorporated – East Lancaster4337719
Unincorporated – East Los Angeles5862146796
Unincorporated – East Pasadena4326747
Unincorporated – East Rancho Dominguez633141357
Unincorporated – East Whittier143327007
Unincorporated – El Camino Village276031396
Unincorporated – El Monte00
Unincorporated – Elizabeth Lake28817339
Unincorporated – Florence-Firestone3039246970
Unincorporated – Franklin Canyon216667
Unincorporated – Glendora19930152
Unincorporated – Hacienda Heights1657829643
Unincorporated – Harbor Gateway4400000
Unincorporated – Hawthorne76230310
Unincorporated – Hi Vista17315756
Unincorporated – Kagel/Lopez Canyons32122734
Unincorporated – La Crescenta-Montrose447122580
Unincorporated – La Habra Heights213107
Unincorporated – La Rambla91344000
Unincorporated – La Verne*66432549
Unincorporated – Ladera Heights207729373
Unincorporated – Lake Hughes20330389
Unincorporated – Lake Los Angeles407831384
Unincorporated – Lake Manor46128058
Unincorporated – Lakewood2824561
Unincorporated – Lennox765233946
Unincorporated – Leona Valley31317875
Unincorporated – Littlerock141535190
Unincorporated – Littlerock/Juniper Hills36227911
Unincorporated – Littlerock/Pearblossom132537125
Unincorporated – Llano10812315
Unincorporated – Marina del Rey272028902
Unincorporated – Miracle Mile00
Unincorporated – Monrovia112829065
Unincorporated – Newhall10547727
Unincorporated – North Lancaster51342821
Unincorporated – North Whittier315337715
Unincorporated – Northeast San Gabriel532122138
Unincorporated – Padua Hills3817674
Unincorporated – Palmdale26831829
Unincorporated – Palos Verdes Peninsula12620290
Unincorporated – Pearblossom/Llano43422188
Unincorporated – Pellissier Village37660743
Unincorporated – Placerita Canyon245217
Unincorporated – Pomona1246398
Unincorporated – Quartz Hill391530335
Unincorporated – Rancho Dominguez120945434
Unincorporated – Roosevelt28130183
Unincorporated – Rosewood51339891
Unincorporated – Rosewood/East Gardena55046102
Unincorporated – Rosewood/West Rancho Dominguez134640048
Unincorporated – Rowland Heights1247024440
Unincorporated – San Clemente Island00
Unincorporated – San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon445128
Unincorporated – San Jose Hills795639345
Unincorporated – San Pasqual904423
Unincorporated – Sand Canyon6320455
Unincorporated – Santa Catalina Island593222097
Unincorporated – Santa Monica Mountains*395221223
Unincorporated – Saugus343221290
Unincorporated – Saugus/Canyon Country13136798
Unincorporated – South Antelope Valley12226813
Unincorporated – South El Monte76142396
Unincorporated – South San Gabriel318736019
Unincorporated – South Whittier2164836554
Unincorporated – Southeast Antelope Valley25232266
Unincorporated – Stevenson Ranch597428494
Unincorporated – Sun Village214035454
Unincorporated – Sunrise Village58945448
Unincorporated – Twin Lakes/Oat Mountain43726357
Unincorporated – Val Verde122136899
Unincorporated – Valencia93430404
Unincorporated – Valinda966341346
Unincorporated – View Park/Windsor Hills362031113
Unincorporated – Walnut Park745246162
Unincorporated – West Antelope Valley18812442
Unincorporated – West Carson829037535
Unincorporated – West Chatsworth541667
Unincorporated – West LA89493908
Unincorporated – West Puente Valley425643274
Unincorporated – West Rancho Dominguez49936718
Unincorporated – West Whittier/Los Nietos1081040149
Unincorporated – Westfield/Academy Hills25219385
Unincorporated – Westhills19923719
Unincorporated – White Fence Farms93225305
Unincorporated – Whittier99626321
Unincorporated – Whittier Narrows76633333
Unincorporated – Willowbrook1672647908
Unincorporated – Wiseburn190431591
 – Under Investigation70751 
*  –Case and death numbers include cases identified among persons detained at correctional facilities located in the city/community 
Data are subject to change based on further investigation

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