Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
Black Angelenos Have The Highest COVID Case And Death Rates In LA
Vaccination rates for Blacks remain low across the country, including in Los Angeles County.
(
Matthew Hatcher
/
Getty Images North America
)
COVID-19 cases have plummeted since the vaccines became widely available in the spring — but racial gaps persist.
New data released by the L.A. County Public Health Department shows that cases, hospitalizations and deaths among Black Angelenos are much higher than for Asians and white people.
“This is now a pandemic of unvaccinated people,” said public health director Barbara Ferrer.
(
LA County Department of Public Health
)
In four weeks between May and June, cases, hospitalizations and deaths all dropped, but racial gaps remained.
“While the death rate among Black residents decreased by about three quarters, it's now four times higher than the death rate among Asian residents and twice as high as the death rate among white residents,” Ferrer said.
She reminded employers they can still require workers and customers to wear masks under the state health and Cal/OSHA rules.
Sponsored message
“At many indoor sites, it will continue to make sense to require universal mask wearing and distancing to prevent exposures to the virus,” Ferrer said.
Racial gaps also persist in L.A.’s vaccination rates. About 73% of Asians have gotten the shots, followed by 64% of Whites and 51% of Latinos. Black residents remain the least likely to be vaccinated, with just 43% of people over the age of 16 choosing to get the shots.
About 56% of people in L.A. County are fully vaccinated.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
