Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) officials noted that unvaccinated residents presented the highest rates of COVID-19 deaths and new cases in the community.
Across all racial and ethnic groups, infection rates among unvaccinated people remained two to three times higher than among vaccinated people, officials said.
Between Aug. 29 and Sept. 25, unvaccinated Black and Latinx people had the highest case rates with 587 to 594 new cases per 100,000 people.
Black residents also had the highest hospitalization rates among both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents, with a rate of 62 hospitalizations for every 100,000 unvaccinated people, which is 27 percent higher than the rate in the next highest group, Latinx residents.
Among unvaccinated people, White residents had the highest death rates of all groups, followed closely by Latinx and Black residents, according to Public Health officials.
“The higher rates of hospitalization and death among Black and Latinx residents is a tragedy that reflects longstanding inequities in access to the resources that promote good health and prevent chronic illness,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of Public Health. “As we approach cooler weather and the accompanied increased risk of disease spread, these numbers are a reminder of the importance of remaining focused on bringing the vaccine to unvaccinated individuals, especially those with risk factors associated with social and economic inequities that increase their risk of severe illness.”
These numbers highlight the need to continue efforts that make it as easy as possible to get the COVID-19 vaccine in the hardest-hit communities, especially in those communities with high numbers of residents with chronic illnesses and other risk factors that increase their chances of severe illness, officials said.
On Sunday, Public Health confirmed 5 deaths and 1,056 new cases of COVID-19, and a total of 1,470,829 coronavirus cases identified and 26,312 deaths since March of 2020.
“The end of the pandemic is directly related to our collective behavior,” Ferrer said. “For the protection of everyone, we encourage all eligible residents to get vaccinated; as the vaccines offer powerful protection against the most severe outcomes of COVID-19 infection.”
In the Santa Clarita Valley, at least 328 deaths due to coronavirus have been identified, with 174 of those taking place at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, according to public health officials.
As of Sunday, Oct. 10, 35,060 cumulative cases have been reported in the Santa Clarita Valley since March of 2020, according to Public Health. These cases include:
- 26,731 in the City of Santa Clarita*
- 64 in the unincorporated areas of Bouquet Canyon
- 1,140 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country
- 4,421 in Castaic*
- 69 in the unincorporated areas of Newhall
- 4 in Placerita Canyon
- 19 in San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon
- 22 in unincorporated Sand Canyon
- 163 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus
- 49 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus/Canyon Country
- 1,686 in Stevenson Ranch
- 422 in the unincorporated areas of Val Verde
- 270 in the unincorporated areas of Valencia
*As of Wednesday, Oct. 6, public health officials have recorded 2,212 cumulative cases at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center, including 1,599 at the North County Correctional Facility. Those cases are distributed between both the City of Santa Clarita and Castaic totals.
Public Health encourages everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated. Anyone 12 and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated against COVID-19. Many vaccination sites across the county, including all the County-run sites, are also offering third doses of vaccine to eligible immunocompromised people. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.
Los Angeles County residents eligible for a booster dose of Pfizer include the following groups of people who received the second of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine series at least 6 months ago and are either:
- People aged 65 years or older
- Residents of long-term care facilities
- People aged 18 to 64 years with underlying medical conditions
- People aged 18 to 64 years with high institutional or occupational risk, including healthcare workers, first responders, teachers and day care staff, grocery workers, and workers and residents in homeless shelters or prisons, among others
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
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to news@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment