On July 8, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed a 165 percent increase in new COVID-19 cases over last week. The County’s daily average case rate is now 3.5 cases per 100,000 people, an increase from last week’s rate of 1.74 cases per 100,000. The July 8 daily test positivity rate is 2.5 percent, also an increase from last week’s rate of 1.2 percent.
With the recent rise in cases, tracking the proliferation of variants of concern remains a priority to better understand the factors that may be contributing to increased community transmission. Public Health is watching particularly closely for Delta variants. The Delta variant has been the most commonly sequenced variant in L.A. County since the beginning of June, now accounting for the majority of variants of concern identified by labs.
Due to an increase in circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus, Public Health strongly recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places such as grocery or retail stores; theaters and family entertainment centers; and workplaces when you don’t know everyone’s vaccination status.
Public Health reports fully vaccinated people appear to be well protected from infections with Delta variants, however people with only one vaccine dose of Pfizer or Moderna are not as well-protected.
Public Health continues to caution there is increased risk of COVID-19 infection for people who aren’t fully vaccinated because of increased intermingling and the circulation of more variants of concern like the Delta variant.
The best protection against COVID-19 is getting vaccinated. Public Health encourages those that are not vaccinated and are eligible to get vaccinated, to get vaccinated without delay. To find a vaccination site near you and to make an appointment, visit vaccinatelacounty.com or vaccines.gov. If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over age 65, you can call (833) 540-0473 for help finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or scheduling a home-visit if you are home bound. Vaccines are provided free of charge.
Beginning today, Friday, July 9 through next Thursday, July 15, at County-run vaccination sites, L.A. City sites, and St. John’s Well Child and Family Center sites, everyone 18 and older coming to get a vaccine will have an opportunity to win one of seven packages of concert tickets. Prizes will include tickets to see Celine Dion, Grupo Firma, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, and Dan and Shay at Staples Center, and box seats to four classical concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. Official rules and participating site locations are on the Los Angeles Vaccination Sweepstakes page.
As of July 2, L.A. County reported that 78.5 percent of Cerritos residents, age 16 and older, have been vaccinated and 89.5 percent of Cerritos residents, age 65 and older, have been vaccinated.
As the City has reopened, July 8, 2021 was the last City Council meeting that will be conducted in the Zoom hybrid format. Information about how to participate in public meetings is posted on the City’s website on the Agendas page.
L.A. County is currently reporting a total of 3,107 cases of COVID-19 and 59 deaths due to COVID-19 in Cerritos. There are 72 reported cases of COVID-19 and one death from the disease in the unincorporated area of Cerritos. This represents an increase of 13 cases and zero deaths in Cerritos since last week’s COVID-19 email blast update. (As of July 2, L.A. County had reported a total of 3,094 cases of COVID-19 in Cerritos and 59 deaths in the City from COVID-19.)