here we go again.
Los Angeles County is reinstating its indoor mask mandate as local COVID-19 infections and related hospitalizations continue to surge.
“The general consensus is that the pandemic is over and COVID is no longer a concern, but these numbers clearly show that COVID is still with us,” County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a news conference Thursday. .”
The county is now averaging more than 2,700 new COVID infections per day, an increase of 180% since Nov. 1. Hospitalizations related to the virus are now at 192 per day, a 200% increase from the same date, she said.
Los Angeles County’s weekly rate of new cases also rose to 185 per 100,000 residents, raising the county’s virus activity from “low” to “moderate,” according to CDC guidelines.
A “medium” risk level still only makes masking “strongly recommended”.
But Ferrer warned that the county is on track to enter “high” levels of the virus by next week, which will prompt mandatory mask wearing.
To hit the “high” mark, the county must have a weekly case rate of at least 200 cases per 100,000 residents and hospitalizations must have more than 10 cases per 100,000 residents. More than 10% of staffed hospital beds will also have to be occupied by COVID patients.
As of Thursday, hospital admissions were already above the CDC’s threshold of 11.9 new admissions per 100,000 residents. Still, only 5.6% of the county’s hospital beds are occupied by COVID patients.
“Given the increase in hospitalizations and the uncertainty over the winter trajectory of COVID-19, it remains a very sensible continuation of some of the common-sense mitigation strategies that we know can limit transmission and disease, including mask wearing and timely vaccination and booster doses. way,” Ferrer said.
“However, [the current trend] It does indicate that case rates and hospitalization rates have risen and we could be reaching ‘high’ community levels as soon as next week,” she said.
Ferrer’s statement quickly sparked reactions on social media.
“They push fake stats and fear porn on their daily news,” lamented one Twitter user.
Another tweeted: “The only city that can’t wait to bring back masks is LA.
“They’ll always have rolling assignments,” the authors said, adding that “it’s pretty normal” in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
Other commenters were more open to the idea, with one writing: “How do you prevent prolonged Covid?
“Vaccines. Masks. Treatments like Paxlovid. The biggest crime is telling people Covid ‘is just a cold.'”
Another Twitter user even suggested that authorization should already be in place.
“Why wait to implement a simple measure to moderate the surge, reduce deaths, long-term Covid, hospitalizations, and even more mutations?” argued the man.
At the end of the day on Thursday, the department 4,493 new COVID cases reported Another 14 people died and the number of people hospitalized now hovers at 1,164.
Department officials previously said about 40% of patients admitted to the hospital were for COVID-related symptoms, while the remainder tested positive after being admitted for other issues.
While masks are currently optional across the county, they are still required in intensive care settings such as healthcare facilities and nursing homes, according to the department’s website.
An increase in flu and respiratory syncytial virus cases during the winter months has fueled concerns about a COVID surge in Los Angeles County. Earlier this month, the Post reported on the alarming numbers of pediatric RSV in New York City hospitals.
“We have more children to care for than we have beds,” Dr. James Schneider, director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Long Island Jewish Hospital, said at the time.
Los Angeles authorities are urging residents to stick with their vaccinations as the number of COVID infections continues to climb. While vaccinated people can still get and spread COVID, the vaccine prevents the worst symptoms.
