COVID-19 Update

Written By BAA

Information compiled from the websites of US Representative Ted Lieu and LA Councilman Paul Koretz

This week was a hopeful week for America. The House voted to pass the American Rescue Plan and yesterday, President Biden signed it into law. This landmark legislation will provide direct aid to families, ensure access to vaccines, help get children safely back in schools, and support the hardest-hit small businesses.

For information on how the American Rescue Plan will help you and your family, please head to whitehouse.gov/American-Rescue-Plan. 

In a prime-time address last night, President Biden announced that he will direct states, Tribes, and territories to make all American adults eligible to receive the vaccine by May 1st. Once all Americans are eligible, the Administration will work to ensure every adult is able to get vaccinated by increasing the number of places people can get vaccinated; increasing the number of people administering vaccines; and providing tools to make it easier for individuals to find a vaccine.

As more Americans receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC issued new public health recommendations for adults who have been fully vaccinated. For the purposes of this guidance, a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after they received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or after they received their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. According to the recommendations, fully vaccinated people can visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without masks. They can also visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low-risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physically distancing. However, while in public, fully vaccinated people should continue to wear a mask and social distance. Please click here for more information for after you are fully vaccinated.

Until enough people are vaccinated, everyone must continue to stay safe. Please wash your hands frequently; engage in social distancing; and wear a mask in public to protect yourself and those around you.

 

VACCINE DISTRIBUTION UPDATE

What phase are we in?

In addition to health care workers, staff and residents at long-term care and skilled nursing facilities, and residents 65 and older, LA County is currently vaccinating workers in education and childcare; food and agriculture; and emergency services. This includes custodians and janitors, public transit workers, airport ground crew workers, emergency responders like social workers who handle cases of violence or abuse, and foster parents providing emergency housing for young people. 

If you are eligible to receive the vaccine, please visit VaccinateLACounty.com to book an appointment. If you are unable to access the website, please call 833-540-0473 between 8:00 AM and 8:30 PM 7 days a week for assistance with appointments. For information on how to receive your second dose, please click here. 

On Monday, March 15th, vaccine eligibility in LA County will expand to people ages 16 through 64 who have underlying health conditions or disabilities that put them at higher risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19. Please click here for information on qualifying medical conditions. 


LOCAL COVID-19 UPDATES 

From LA County 

Los Angeles County has met the threshold to reopen key sectors in line with the less restrictive, red tier on California's Blueprint for a Safer Economy on Monday, March 15th. The transition comes as case rates continue to fall significantly across LA County. Starting Monday, a wide range of indoor operations will be permitted to resume in sectors including middle and high schools; restaurants; movie theaters; gyms and museums; and zoos and aquariums, all with safeguards in place. For more information on key reopenings, please visit the LA County Department of Public Health Website. 


TESTING

All LA County residents who would like to get tested for COVID-19 should first contact their Primary Care Provider to see if they offer tests. If you cannot access a test through your health care provider, please visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing or corona-virus.la/covid-19-testing to sign up for a no-cost COVID-19 test. Testing is recommended for those who:

  • Have symptoms related to COVID-19.

  • Were asked to get tested by LA Public Health because of a contact tracing investigation.

  • Were in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks.

  • Work or live in a skilled nursing facility; group home; residential care facility; homeless shelter; or correctional facility.

  • Are experiencing homelessness.

  • Are essential workers with frequent contact with the public.

  • Don’t have symptoms but believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19.

If you live in the City of LA and are unable to drive to a testing site, you can receive a free COVID-19 test at a mobile pop-up location (no appointment necessary). Please click here to view current and upcoming pop-up testing sites.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • Lose your health care due to COVID-19? Covered California has opened a special enrollment period for eligible Californians to sign up for a health care plan that works for them. Get started here.

This week was promising. The President has signed into law a coronavirus rescue package that will bring much-needed relief to the American people. We will get through this crisis. In the meantime, please continue to wash your hands frequently; engage in physical distancing; and wear a mask in public. By taking these simple actions, you are protecting your community.

BAA
Previous

944 Airole Way: Nile Niami facing foreclosure on his spec house
Next

Living with coyotes in Bel-Air