L.A. County Set to Administer Additional Boosters; Public Health Monitors School Cases and Prepares for Eventual Vaccine Expansion to Children - 27 New Deaths and 1,167 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

While the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) remains focused on administering first doses of vaccine to communities countywide, vaccination sites are preparing to make boosters available to everyone who needs one.

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met and approved boosters for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and noted that consumers are allowed to choose a different brand from their original vaccine as a booster. Once the CDC director provides their final approval, providers across the county will be able to administer additional doses.

The recommendations by the CDC and FDA allows for Booster doses of all three FDA-approved vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Eligibility varies depending on which vaccine you initially received: anyone who received Johnson & Johnson more than two months ago is eligible for a booster shot. Meanwhile, booster eligibility for those who received Pfizer or Moderna is currently limited to people who received their primary series at least 6 months ago and who are either 65 and older or are over 18 and live in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions, or work or live in high-risk settings. People may receive booster shots of either the vaccine they originally received or a different vaccine.

Public Health estimates that 1.7 million residents in L.A. County received their second dose of Pfizer at least 6 months ago, 1.5 million received their two Moderna doses at least 6 months ago, and 470,000 residents received their Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago. Many of these individuals will be eligible for boosters once there is final CDC director approval.

The FDA and CDC are also expected to approve and recommend Pfizer vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 in early November. In L.A. County, this will make 900,000 children newly eligible for vaccination with pediatric doses of Pfizer vaccine. Pediatric doses of Pfizer vaccine are smaller than the adult and teen vaccine doses, 10 versus 30 micrograms, but the dosing schedule is the same: for children, teens and adults, two doses are given 21 days apart.

Currently, the County expects to get nearly 96,000 doses as part of our first wave of vaccine supply the first week in November, with many more doses arriving in two additional waves following very quickly thereafter. Doses are being allocated to the County and to the rest of the country on a pro-rata basis; based on your population. We do not anticipate scarcity, and expect there will be ample vaccine to meet demand.

An enormous network of providers countywide, is scaling up to provide vaccines to children between the ages of 5 and 11.

Today, Public Health confirms 27 new deaths and 1,167 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 27 new deaths reported today, seven people who passed away were over the age of 80, two people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, eight people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64 and four people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49. Six deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach. To date, Public Health has identified 1,481,814 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 26,499 deaths.

There are 613 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized, and 29% of these people are in the ICU. Testing results are available for more than 8,940,000 individuals with 15% of people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 0.9%.

Overall, the County continues to see a small decrease across all metrics. Daily average case numbers are 828 as of October 13th, down 18% from the prior week, while daily average hospitalizations decreased 14% to reach 676, and daily average deaths are below 10, now at 8 per day.

Unvaccinated people continue to account for most cases and hospitalizations, and are 6 times more likely to get infected and 23 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated people. Although deaths are now declining, the risk of death is 43 times higher among people who have not been vaccinated.

Public Health is working closely with schools to monitor safety amid continued substantial transmission in L.A. County. Last week, there were 568 student cases and about 2,100 student close contacts. Among staff, we saw 79 cases and 186 close contacts. These numbers represent a 37% decline in school cases and a 45% decline in staff cases from the prior week. Given there are more than 1.7 million children and staff attending or working at over 3,000 schools countywide, these are strikingly low numbers. This amounts to 0.04% of students and staff testing positive and 0.1% identified as close contacts.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to those of you who have lost friends, neighbors, coworkers, and loved ones during this difficult time. Please know our deepest condolences are with you,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Throughout this pandemic, we have seen a pattern where COVID numbers increase with cooler weather and with more activities moving indoors. Layering protections is a sensible approach, and we have focused on layering with safety measures that do not create significant disruptions to customary operations. After vaccinations, masking offers us the next best tool for reducing spread. As we get ready to celebrate fall holidays, staying mindful of avoiding unnecessary risks should be top of mind for everyone.”

While you don’t need an appointment at many places to get a first, second or third dose, it is very easy to make an appointment for a booster dose. You can go to MyTurn.CA.gov or to our website at VaccinateLACounty.com to make an appointment and for more information about booster shots. Additionally, many pharmacies and clinics countywide may be accepting appointments through their own systems.

Vaccinations are widely available throughout L.A. County and are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

Visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish) to find a vaccination site near you, make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more. If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over 65, you can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or scheduling a home-visit if you are homebound.

Vaccinated middle and high school students are eligible for free UCLA football tickets. UCLA has partnered with Public Health to give away free tickets to a UCLA football game at the Rose Bowl to middle or high school students in L.A. County who’ve received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while tickets last. Students aged 12 to 18 who’ve received at least one dose can sign up for the free tickets online by visiting: http://ph.lacounty.gov/DPHUCLAVaxforTix.

COVID-19 Sector Protocols, Best Practices, COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Recovery Dashboard, and additional actions you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Please see additional information below:

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	Total Cases
Laboratory Confirmed Cases	1481814
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)*	1403638
-- Long Beach	64763
-- Pasadena	13413
Deaths	26499
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)	25103
-- Long Beach	1033
-- Pasadena	363
Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- 0 to 4	36944
- 5 to 11	78553
- 12 to 17	88955
- 18 to 29	332974
- 30 to 49	466145
- 50 to 64	258944
- 65 to 79	103333
- over 80	36954
- Under Investigation	836
Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Female	707616
- Male	663922
- Other	745
- Under Investigation	31355
Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native	2395
- Asian	67027
- Black	67379
- Hispanic/Latino	724283
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	5170
- White	172740
- Other	118727
- Under Investigation	245917
Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Hospitalized (Ever)	105033
Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native	56
- Asian	3288
- Black	2205
- Hispanic/Latino	13337
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	87
- White	5899
- Other	201
- Under Investigation	30
CITY / COMMUNITY**	Cases	Case Rate
City of Agoura Hills	1446	6924
City of Alhambra	8213	9470
City of Arcadia	3370	5835
City of Artesia	2436	14504
City of Avalon	32	827
City of Azusa	7441	14870
City of Baldwin Park	14655	19090
City of Bell	7569	20833
City of Bell Gardens	9092	21109
City of Bellflower	13004	16729
City of Beverly Hills	3626	10504
City of Bradbury	42	3929
City of Burbank	11207	10456
City of Calabasas	1777	7306
City of Carson	12092	12885
City of Cerritos	3752	7494
City of Claremont	2854	7823
City of Commerce*	2702	20675
City of Compton	19655	19674
City of Covina	7706	15716
City of Cudahy	5383	22110
City of Culver City	2930	7350
City of Diamond Bar	4024	6996
City of Downey	20448	17896
City of Duarte	2763	12550
City of El Monte	19111	16297
City of El Segundo	1083	6452
City of Gardena	7842	12791
City of Glendale	24760	11991
City of Glendora	5965	11305
City of Hawaiian Gardens	2576	17552
City of Hawthorne	12675	14276
City of Hermosa Beach	1579	8027
City of Hidden Hills	135	7143
City of Huntington Park	12408	20859
City of Industry	191	43707
City of Inglewood	16807	14797
City of Irwindale	303	20768
City of La Canada Flintridge	1096	5296
City of La Habra Heights	131	2401
City of La Mirada	5386	10859
City of La Puente	7501	18431
City of La Verne	3559	10693
City of Lakewood	9390	11685
City of Lancaster*	28457	17613
City of Lawndale	4284	12745
City of Lomita	1947	9393
City of Lynwood*	14934	20728
City of Malibu	671	5177
City of Manhattan Beach	2082	5783
City of Maywood	5760	20535
City of Monrovia	4003	10317
City of Montebello	11531	17912
City of Monterey Park	5603	8999
City of Norwalk	18536	17223
City of Palmdale	29736	18706
City of Palos Verdes Estates	676	4999
City of Paramount	11404	20356
City of Pico Rivera	12567	19549
City of Pomona	29249	18758
City of Rancho Palos Verdes	2134	4992
City of Redondo Beach	4134	6018
City of Rolling Hills	84	4330
City of Rolling Hills Estates	434	5349
City of Rosemead	5588	10096
City of San Dimas*	3985	11545
City of San Fernando	6002	24386
City of San Gabriel	3671	8964
City of San Marino	471	3547
City of Santa Clarita	27124	12305
City of Santa Fe Springs	3378	18395
City of Santa Monica	6674	7219
City of Sierra Madre	637	5797
City of Signal Hill	1465	12418
City of South El Monte	3841	18391
City of South Gate	21163	21561
City of South Pasadena	1714	6579
City of Temple City	2760	7571
City of Torrance	9720	6512
City of Vernon	141	67464
City of Walnut	2147	7032
City of West Covina	15230	14071
City of West Hollywood	3627	9816
City of Westlake Village	153	1830
City of Whittier	13164	15056
Los Angeles	604039	14934
Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie	1365	16642
Los Angeles - Alsace	1857	14922
Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest	5	12500
Los Angeles - Angelino Heights	347	13869
Los Angeles - Arleta	7882	22933
Los Angeles - Atwater Village	1721	11735
Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills	3591	11537
Los Angeles - Bel Air	563	6679
Los Angeles - Beverly Crest	894	7138
Los Angeles - Beverlywood	1300	9869
Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*	19309	22224
Los Angeles - Brentwood	2142	6920
Los Angeles - Brookside	47	8090
Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning	868	12189
Los Angeles - Canoga Park	10982	16821
Los Angeles - Carthay	1303	9072
Los Angeles - Central	8397	21535
Los Angeles - Century City	865	6762
Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove	7252	21477
Los Angeles - Chatsworth	4621	12469
Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills	652	7109
Los Angeles - Chinatown	943	11757
Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran	1949	13392
Los Angeles - Country Club Park	1844	12169
Los Angeles - Crenshaw District	1863	13472
Los Angeles - Crestview	1314	11559
Los Angeles - Del Rey	2679	8949
Los Angeles - Downtown*	5362	19493
Los Angeles - Eagle Rock	4386	11079
Los Angeles - East Hollywood	3782	12914
Los Angeles - Echo Park	1676	11756
Los Angeles - El Sereno	7107	16999
Los Angeles - Elysian Park	654	11450
Los Angeles - Elysian Valley	1492	14669
Los Angeles - Encino	4569	10115
Los Angeles - Exposition	441	13259
Los Angeles - Exposition Park	7259	16161
Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights	372	10333
Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square	1613	18496
Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone	10534	22203
Los Angeles - Glassell Park	4049	12812
Los Angeles - Gramercy Place	1731	16081
Los Angeles - Granada Hills	8142	13992
Los Angeles - Green Meadows	4530	21065
Los Angeles - Hancock Park	1424	8357
Los Angeles - Harbor City	3217	11066
Los Angeles - Harbor Gateway	5949	13644
Los Angeles - Harbor Pines	221	9174
Los Angeles - Harvard Heights	2875	15941
Los Angeles - Harvard Park	8329	21956
Los Angeles - Highland Park	6677	13798
Los Angeles - Historic Filipinotown	2351	16950
Los Angeles - Hollywood	7681	11254
Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills	2332	7923
Los Angeles - Hyde Park	4668	16355
Los Angeles - Jefferson Park	1352	16747
Los Angeles - Koreatown	6362	12307
Los Angeles - Lafayette Square	631	13841
Los Angeles - Lake Balboa	6515	15436
Los Angeles - Lakeview Terrace	2665	20292
Los Angeles - Leimert Park	2059	13515
Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights	5795	17778
Los Angeles - Little Armenia	1328	16548
Los Angeles - Little Bangladesh	3236	11417
Los Angeles - Little Tokyo	488	15576
Los Angeles - Longwood	679	15776
Los Angeles - Los Feliz	1513	7002
Los Angeles - Manchester Square	1259	14749
Los Angeles - Mandeville Canyon	203	6498
Los Angeles - Mar Vista	2900	6828
Los Angeles - Marina Peninsula	237	5436
Los Angeles - Melrose	10068	12958
Los Angeles - Mid-city	1520	10113
Los Angeles - Miracle Mile	1439	8001
Los Angeles - Mission Hills	5054	20950
Los Angeles - Mt. Washington	3289	13622
Los Angeles - North Hills	10812	17559
Los Angeles - North Hollywood	25096	16574
Los Angeles - Northridge	9334	13373
Los Angeles - Pacific Palisades	1165	5472
Los Angeles - Pacoima	19208	24952
Los Angeles - Palisades Highlands	210	5460
Los Angeles - Palms	3447	7856
Los Angeles - Panorama City	15237	20249
Los Angeles - Park La Brea	904	6657
Los Angeles - Pico-Union	7857	18778
Los Angeles - Playa Del Rey	180	5632
Los Angeles - Playa Vista	869	7938
Los Angeles - Porter Ranch	3320	9329
Los Angeles - Rancho Park	517	7881
Los Angeles - Regent Square	327	11763
Los Angeles - Reseda	13568	17709
Los Angeles - Reseda Ranch	825	17796
Los Angeles - Reynier Village	343	8113
Los Angeles - San Pedro*	9406	12053
Los Angeles - Shadow Hills	506	11391
Los Angeles - Sherman Oaks	8212	9412
Los Angeles - Silverlake	4221	9575
Los Angeles - South Carthay	995	9391
Los Angeles - South Park	8313	21899
Los Angeles - St Elmo Village	782	17059
Los Angeles - Studio City	1961	8739