COVID Vaccines are Extraordinarily Safe, Effective Against the Virus and Variants of the Virus and Readily Available Without an Appointment

LOS ANGELES, July 31 – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 11 new deaths and 3,318 new cases of COVID-19. Of the new deaths reported today, three people who died were over the age of 80, three people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, three people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, and two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49 years old.

To date, Public Health identified 1,300,313 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,682 deaths. There are 1,008 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 23% of these people are in the ICU. This is an additional 320 people hospitalized since last Saturday, an increase of 45% in hospitalizations in one week.

Testing results are available for over 7,322,000 individuals with 16% of people testing positive. Today’s daily test positivity rate is 6.1%.

The evidence continues to show that the vaccination offers the most protection from COVID and the variants of the virus. Each of the vaccines has been thoroughly tested and continues to undergo intense safety monitoring. All three vaccines being administered in L.A. County are highly effective in preventing serious disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19.

To make it as easy as possible for eligible residents to get vaccinated, Public Health continues to offer vaccines at many different sites across the county. This week there are 772 sites offering vaccinations including pharmacies, clinics, community sites, and hospitals, and many of the vaccination sites are concentrated in areas that have been hard hit by the pandemic. There are also 322 sites where Public Health mobile teams are offering vaccinations this week.

Beginning this weekend, all five county-run vaccination sites will be open on Sundays (11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Norwalk, Commerce, and Ted Watkins; 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Balboa and Obregon).

L.A. County residents and workers 12 years and older are eligible to receive a vaccine. Vaccines are always free; you do not need to have health insurance, you do not need a government issued ID, and you will not be asked about your immigration status.

Director of Public Health. Director of Public Health, Barbara Ferrer PhD, MPH, MEd, said: “The sorrow caused by COVID-19 has been tremendous; all those mourning the loss of a loved one, we mourn with you and wish you peace and healing.

Barbara Ferrer said: “Over the past eight months, millions of people in the U.S., and around the world, have been safely vaccinated. The data overwhelmingly shows the vaccines to be effective at preventing serious illness that causes hospitalization, and death. To really beat back transmission, however, we need to have higher levels of vaccination, particularly among our younger residents. The tragic reality is that almost every single person hospitalized and dying from COVID-19 is unvaccinated and these hospitalizations and deaths are, for the most part, preventable. We recognize that many teens and young adults that have not yet been vaccinated have heard or read that the vaccines aren’t safe and that COVID causes only mild illness. Neither is true. Almost 25,000 LA County residents have died from COVID-19, and COVID is now the leading cause of death. And the three authorized vaccines used in the United States have undergone the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. “

“This monitoring includes using both established and new safety monitoring systems to look at all the reports of potential side effects and results from these monitoring efforts are reassuring. To date, the systems in place to monitor the safety of these vaccines have found only three very rare types of health problems after vaccination and the scientific and medical communities have determined that the benefits of the vaccine overwhelming outweigh the very small risk that a person getting vaccinated would experience one of these serious side effects.” said Barbara Ferrer.

Barbara Ferrer said: ”With huge increases in cases and hospitalizations across the entire county, the three COVID vaccines are powerfully protective and extraordinarily safe. If you are eligible to get vaccinated, please get informed and vaccinated so that you can protect yourself and our LA County community.”