L.A. County Poised for Additional Reopenings
L.A. County is poised to move into Tier 4 of the state’s Blueprint, with COVID-19 metrics continuing to fall. As of Tuesday, April 27, 2021, the County’s adjusted case rate was 1.9 new cases per 100,000 people, down from 2.7 the previous week. If the adjusted case rate remains below 2 new cases per 100,000 residents when new data is announced on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, the County will move into Tier 4 as early as Thursday, May 6. In Tier 4, additional reopenings are permitted; notably, bars will be permitted to open indoors at 25% capacity.
The County is experiencing other positive trends. Over the past month, new case numbers have dropped 34%, daily hospitalizations have fallen 38% and daily deaths are down more than 80%. In fact, on Sunday, May 2, 2021, L.A. County reported no COVID-19-related deaths. The test positivity rate also fell from 1.2% to 0.9%, and in areas with the fewest health-affirming resources, the County’s test positivity rate dropped from 1.4% to 1%.
Vaccinations
As of April 30, 2021, the County reported administering 8,033,146 total vaccine doses, including 4,988,031 first doses and 3,045,115 second doses. The County estimates that over 37% of its residents are now fully vaccinated and approximately 65% have received a first dose.
Public Health Councils
L.A. County announced on April 28, 2021, that it has officially launched its previously reported “public health councils” program. This program trains and coordinates workers in several sectors to “help ensure that employees in hard hit industries are protected by Los Angeles County Health Officer Orders.” According to the County:
Public Health Councils are comprised of workers that conduct peer-to-peer education with their co-workers regarding required safety measures and worksite compliance. The initiative also includes educational outreach to employers in these sectors regarding required infection control measures issued through Health Officer Orders. Support for this initiative comes from the County of Los Angeles and several private foundations.
The sectors in which the Councils are being set up are food manufacturing, apparel manufacturing, warehousing and storage, restaurants, and grocery stores and supermarkets.