L.A. City and County COVID-19 Weekly Update (April 26, 2021)

Overall Downward Trends Continue in L.A. County

The County continued to experience declines in COVID-19 cases, with new cases down 98% from the peak of the surge, deaths down 97% and hospitalizations down 94%. As of April 20, 2021, the County’s adjusted case rate was 2.7 new cases per 100,000 people, down from 3.2 the previous week. The test positivity rate also fell from 1.5% to 1.2%, and in areas with the fewest health-affirming resources, the County’s test positivity rate dropped from 1.9% to 1.4%. The County’s adjusted case rate will need to fall to 2 cases per 100,000 residents in order for the County to be eligible to move up from Tier 3 to Tier 4 status under the State’s Blueprint, which would further reduce state restrictions on economic activity in the County.​

Finally, the County’s estimated transmission number is now 0.86, down slightly from the previous week’s estimate of 0.90. The model suggests that approximately 0.06% of County residents, or 1 in 1,600, are currently infected and infectious to others. One week earlier, this estimate was 1 in 1,400.

Vaccinations

As of April 23, 2021, the County reported administering more than 6.6 million doses of vaccine in the County, including 4,254,160 first doses, 2,387,785 second doses, and 274,212 doses of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (The FDA-ordered brief pause in use of the J&J vaccine was lifted on Friday, April 23, 2021.) The County also launched a vaccine tracker for real-time updates on vaccination rates, including interactive data tools.

This week, the L.A. County Department of Public Health expects to receive approximately 296,000 vaccine doses, an 18% decrease from last week. Approximately 51% of this week’s vaccine supply will be for first doses and 49% will be for second doses. Of the 296,000 doses of vaccine the County expects to receive this week, 75% of doses will go to sites located in the most vulnerable communities. The County is also resuming the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

As of April 20, “75% of L.A. County residents 65 and older have received at least one dose and 60% of residents 65 and older have been fully vaccinated. Overall, 48% of L.A. County residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of vaccine and 30% have been fully vaccinated.”