On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the license for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA) for those 12 through 15 years old and for the third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
The licensing approval was announced after another thorough evaluation of safety and effectiveness data by a panel of scientific and medical experts. FDA-approved vaccines undergo the agency’s standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products.
On Monday, acute care and long-term care facilities, high-risk congregate facilities, and other healthcare facilities must be in full compliance with the State’s Order that requires these facilities to verify the vaccine status of all workers. The State Order also requires compliance with respirator and masking mandates and screening testing. And, by September 30, healthcare workers are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
See Related: L.A. County Requires Healthcare Workers To Be Vaccinated By End Of September
“The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and remains the most powerful tool we have to both lower our risk of infection and protect against serious illness and death from COVID-19 if infected. The other tools to help reduce and prevent transmission are wearing a mask, keeping your distance, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and washing your hands frequently.,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County Health Officer. “We are grateful to the many scientists and researchers who have worked tirelessly to develop and evaluate the vaccines during the most challenging public health crisis of our lifetime. We are also grateful to the FDA for their thoughtful analyses and review processes to ensure that we can have the highest confidence that the vaccine is safe and effective. I hope the milestone of this vaccine’s full approval gives those that were waiting to get vaccinated the confidence to now take this important step.”
As of Monday, Public Health identified 1,385,505 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 25,078 deaths.
There are also 1,722 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 23 percent of these people are in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Monday’s test positivity rate is 2.8 percent, a slight decrease from last week’s same-day rate of 3.4 percent
As of Monday, Aug. 23, 31,329 cumulative cases have been reported in the Santa Clarita Valley since March of 2020, according to Public Health. These cases include:
- 24,259 in the City of Santa Clarita* (+77)
- 57 in the unincorporated areas of Bouquet Canyon (+2)
- 1,006 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country (+2)
- 3,583 in Castaic* (+11)
- 70 in the unincorporated areas of Newhall
- 4 in Placerita Canyon
- 15 in San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon
- 19 in unincorporated Sand Canyon
- 154 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus m(+1)
- 46 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus/Canyon Country
- 1,491 in Stevenson Ranch (+5)
- 383 in the unincorporated areas of Val Verde (+1)
- 242 in the unincorporated areas of Valencia
*As of Tuesday, Aug. 24, public health officials have recorded 2,116 cumulative cases at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center, including 1,539 at the North County Correctional Facility. Those cases are distributed between both the City of Santa Clarita and Castaic totals.
On Tuesday, August 24, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported another COVID-19 related death, bringing the hospital’s total number of deceased to 157, according to spokesperson Patrick Moody. In total, the Santa Clarita Valley had experienced at least 301 due to coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
To learn how to make a vaccine appointment, what verifications you will need to show at your vaccination appointment, and much more, visit the L.A. County Vaccination website (English) or Vacunate Los Angeles website (Spanish).
Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.
See All Coronavirus Coverage: Coronavirus Coverage – COVID-19 Map
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