Topline:
More people are contracting COVID at work and school, as viral transmission continues to creep up. In August, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health investigated 73 outbreaks in workplaces — nearly three times higher than the month before.
How do I know if I was exposed at work? Your employer is required to notify you if you are a close contact within one business day. A close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the infected person for 15 minutes or more. Exposed workers should wear a high-quality, well-fitted mask around others for 10 days, which the employer is required to supply. Anyone exposed should test immediately and 3-5 days after their last close contact with the COVID-positive individual. Per Cal/OSHA, employers must offer testing at no cost to employees who have had a workplace exposure during paid time.
School outbreaks are also up: There was a 43% increase at L.A. County schools, with 33 newly opened school outbreaks this week, up from 23 the prior week.
COVID sends more people to the hospital: Almost 560 people are hospitalized on average each day in the county with COVID, up from 330 in mid-August. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said at a news conference on Aug. 31 that if the upward trend continues, L.A. County may move up into the CDC’s “medium” hospital tier by the end of September, triggering patient testing in health centers. Ferrer stressed all indicators are well below last winter’s peak. The updated COVID shot will be available in October.