Vaccinated Residents Continue to be Protected from Negative COVID-19 Outcomes

LOS ANGELES, Calif.Aug 21 – Los Angeles County continues to see broad protection from the vaccines against negative health outcomes from COVID-19.

The data shows as of August 7, unvaccinated younger adults between the ages of 18 to 49 were 25 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated adults of the same age, with a rate of 20 hospitalizations per 100,000 people. Meanwhile, unvaccinated older adults 50 and over were nearly 12 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated adults 50 and over, with a rate of 59 hospitalizations for every 100,000 people.

Unvaccinated adults ages 18 to 49 have a death rate of 0.9 per 100,000 people, and there were virtually no deaths in vaccinated members of this age group. Meanwhile, adults over 50 who are unvaccinated have a death rate of 5.9 per 100,000 people, and were 17 times more likely to die as a result of COVID-19 than vaccinated adults over 50 who had a rate of 0.35 per 100,000 people.

Today, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) confirms 32 new deaths and 3,891 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 32 new deaths reported today, 10 people who passed away were over the age of 80, 12 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, five people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, three people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49, and one person who died was between the ages of 18 and 29. One death was reported by the City of Long Beach. To date, Public Health identified 1,380,415 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 25,061 deaths.

There are 1,775 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 24% of these people are in the ICU. Testing results are available for nearly 7,900,000 individuals with 16% of people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 3.1%. With increased routine screening testing over the weeks ahead, Public Health expects that case numbers will remain high.

“We send our deepest sympathies to the many families experiencing the sorrow of losing a loved one to COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “While the vaccines are not perfect, and many of us may know someone who is fully vaccinated and ended up getting COVID, all three vaccines continue to do what we most need them to do: they protect from the worst outcomes of COVID-19 and allow our hospitals and clinics to continue providing the full range of services to everyone who needs health care. Because the vaccines by themselves are not completely preventing transmission of the virus, masking and distancing provide layers of additional protection that is needed. To avoid requiring even more safety measures to blunt the spread of the virus, many more people must get vaccinated. This is how we can keep our schools, workplaces, and retail establishments open at full capacity. With almost 3 million L.A. County residents 12 and older still not vaccinated, our recovery journey can become compromised.”

L.A. County continues to offer COVID-19 vaccines at many different sites across the county that have weekends and evening hours. Anyone 12 and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated against COVID-19. Many vaccination sites across the county, including all the County-run sites, are also offering third doses of vaccine to eligible immunocompromised people.

Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status. To find a vaccination site near you, make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over 65, you can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or scheduling a home-visit if you are homebound.

COVID-19 Sector Protocols, Best Practices, COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Recovery Dashboard, and additional actions you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.