With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
It’s Been Three Years Since The First COVID-19 Case In LA County. Where Are We Now?
All three metrics are much lower than in previous Januaries.
(
Courtesy of the L.A. County Dept. of Public Health
)
Topline:
On January 26, 2020, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the County and the fourth case in the United States. Since then, more than 3.6 million cases have been reported, and more than 35,200 Angelenos have died. And we’ve learned a lot about the virus that causes COVID-19.
Mild winter: We’ve been through surge after surge, but right now it’s pretty calm. Newly reported COVID-19 cases have declined to an average of 960 per day from nearly 2,400 at the beginning of the year. This is also the first January we haven’t experienced a huge rush of post-holiday season COVID-19 patients so sick they need hospital care. About 104 COVID-19 positive people were admitted to the hospital each day in the last week.
What changed? Three things, said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. “Lots of people have been infected. Lots of people are vaccinated and boosted. And I think the third thing is, what we're seeing now are new strains of omicron, not new variants. We know our vaccines are effective against omicron. They're working really well. That combination, I think, is really helping us this winter.”
Support for LAist comes from
But people are still getting infected: And people are still dying. To date, 625 people have died in L.A. County due to COVID-19 in January alone. Recent data from Public Health shows unvaccinated people are more than seven times more likely to die than those who received the bivalent booster, available to people 6 months and older.
COVID-19 outbreaks in schools are up: Fifteen elementary schools, three high schools and two middle schools all reported COVID-19 outbreaks of three or more cases last week. Children under 18 are among the least boosted age groups in L.A. County.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist