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313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806  |  Los Angeles, CA 90012  |  (213) 288-8144  |  media@ph.lacounty.gov

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For Immediate Release:

October 19, 2023

64% of Los Angeles County Residents Plan to Get Updated COVID-19 Vaccine, New Survey Finds

A majority of Los Angeles County residents say they plan to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, according to new survey results. The new updated COVID-19 vaccine is a safe and effective tool for reducing the risks for severe illness, hospitalization, and cancellation of plans during the holiday season.

In a study led by the University of Southern California (USC) Pandemic Research Center, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health), participants were asked whether they are planning to get the 2023-2024 updated COVID-19 vaccine. The survey was sent to members of the Pandemic Surveillance Cohort, a representative sample of Los Angeles County residents. Of the 1,046 responding, 64 percent said, “yes” indicating they plan to get the updated vaccine, and an additional 17 percent of the people who are still considering the vaccine responded, “not sure.”

Since the new updated COVID-19 vaccine was made available mid-September, more than 330,000 updated COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Los Angeles County. Among those 65 and older, an estimated 10 percent of people have already received the updated vaccine. And while this is positive news, knowing that individuals in this age group have a higher risk of severe illness and death from a COVID-19 infection, there are many more seniors who would benefit from the updated protection.

At least one dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. The new vaccine is formulated to protect against Omicron XBB strains, which are the dominant strains circulating now. It also boosts immunity against the virus, which wanes over time.

To make an appointment to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, and for drop-in locations throughout the county, visit myturn.ca.gov. Residents can search by ZIP code; results will include Public Health Clinics and pop-up vaccine events, as well as local pharmacies. The website also will note if sites offer free vaccines for people who are uninsured or underinsured. Most locations also offer the annual flu vaccine, which can be given at the same time.

This same USC survey also asked respondents about their intention to get the updated annual influenza vaccine: 69 percent of people in Los Angeles County plan to get the flu shot and about 9 percent of people are still deciding. Nationally, hospitalization rates for influenza during the 2022-2023 flu season were highest for people 65 and older, at 187 per 100,000 people, followed by children 0-4 years, at a rate of 81 per 100,000 people.

Over the past four weeks of data, Public Health is reporting a decline across indicators of COVID-19 transmission, including reported cases, wastewater concentrations of SARS-COV-2 virus, COVID-19 positive hospitalizations, and COVID-19 deaths. Historically, respiratory virus transmission is lower in October, before transmission begins to rise leading to a peak during winter months.

Now is a good time to prepare for the coming months and update your protections against COVID-19 and flu. Both the updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines are essential tools to help limit severe illness from respiratory viruses, especially for people at highest risk, including those with underlying health conditions and people over 65 years old. People over 65 should also speak to their provider about the newly approved respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine.

“Given how much sadness and grief so many families in Los Angeles County already experienced, I am grateful that many people recognize that vaccines remain a powerful tool for reducing risks associated with COVID-19,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “We have a good supply of COVID-19 and flu vaccines in Los Angeles County and there are options for everyone six months and older. Anyone with questions about getting updated vaccines should call their health care provider or the Public Health Call Center. I hope that if many people take advantage of the updated vaccines, LA County can avoid a big surge in respiratory virus cases this winter that strains our health care system and leads to more deaths.”

The Public Health Call Center remains open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to answer COVID-19-related questions, including how to get vaccinated, at 1-833-540-0473. In addition to helping to schedule a vaccine appointment, Public Health staff also can connect callers with resources, such as how to get vaccinated at home.

In Los Angeles County, based on data through Sept. 30, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hospital Admission Level is Low at 4.6 new COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, lower than 5.2 reported the week before.

Public Health reports COVID-19 data weekly. The following table shows case, wastewater, emergency department, hospitalization and death data in Los Angeles County over the past four weeks.

Metric

Date of Weekly Report

10/18/2023

10/11/2023

10/04/2023

9/27/2023

Daily average cases

217

242

303

382

SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration as a percentage of the Winter 2022-2023 peak concentration value

14%

27%

19%

30%

Daily average of the percent of Emergency Department (ED) encounters classified as coronavirus-related

2.6%

2.9%

3.3%

3.9%

Daily average number of COVID-positive hospitalizations

369

422

467

544

Daily average deaths

3.3

4.7

5.0

3.9

Percent of all deaths due to COVID-19

2.2%

3.3%

2.3%

3.3%

All daily averages are 7-day averages. Data for past weeks are subject to change in future reports. Time periods covered by each metric: cases = week ending each Saturday; wastewater = week ending each Saturday, with a one-week lag; ED data = week ending each Sunday; hospitalizations = week ending each Saturday; deaths = week ending each Monday, with a three-week lag; death percentage = week ending Monday, with a one-week lag.

Case data is presented by episode date, an approximation of the date the illness began, and death data is presented by date of death. This is a change from how case and death data were presented prior to July 26, 2023, which was by date of report. Daily average cases do not include Long Beach and Pasadena; daily average deaths include Long Beach and Pasadena.

• A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/COVIDdata including:

• COVID-19 Locations & Demographics (data by demographic characteristics and geography, active outbreaks, and citations)

COVID-19 Response Plan

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Skilled Nursing Facility Metrics

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/

• California Department of Public Health: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Spanish:

https://espanol.cdc.gov/enes/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

• World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

• LA County residents can also call 2-1-1

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Cases through 12:00pm 10/16/2023

Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases (includes LB and Pas through 6/27/23; excludes LB and Pas after 6/27/23)

3,811,975

Deaths (includes LB and Pas)

36,836

Cases by Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- 0 to 4

115,452

- 5 to 11

284,814

- 12 to 17

279,685

- 18 to 29

767,780

- 30 to 49

1,152,621

- 50 to 64

628,605

- 65 to 79

276,192

- over 80

99,224

- Under Investigation

2,609

Cases by Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- Female

1,864,832

- Male

1,650,761

- Other

1,890

- Under Investigation

89,499

Cases by Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- American Indian/Alaska Native

6,844

- Asian

269,899

- Black

191,890

- Hispanic/Latino

1,534,654

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

18,024

- White

503,828

- Other

416,645

- Under Investigation

665,198

Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- Hospitalized (Ever)

187,320

Deaths by Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- American Indian/Alaska Native

81

- Asian

4,592

- Black

3,280

- Hispanic/Latino

16,979

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

114

- White

9,336

- Other

466

- Under Investigation

99

CITY / COMMUNITY**

Cases

Case Rate

City of Agoura Hills

6,477

31,016

City of Alhambra

26,058

30,047

City of Arcadia

14,043

24,315

City of Artesia

6,174

36,761

City of Avalon

297

7,676

City of Azusa

17,788

35,548

City of Baldwin Park

30,148

39,271

City of Bell

17,209

47,366

City of Bell Gardens

17,382

40,357

City of Bellflower

31,358

40,340

City of Beverly Hills

11,838

34,293

City of Bradbury

71

6,642

City of Burbank

33,546

31,299

City of Calabasas

6,029

24,787

City of Carson

35,779

38,125

City of Cerritos

13,745

27,453

City of Claremont

10,588

29,021

City of Commerce*

5,940

45,451

City of Compton

41,018

41,057

City of Covina

20,672

42,160

City of Cudahy

12,333

50,655

City of Culver City

12,291

30,832

City of Diamond Bar

13,974

24,296

City of Downey

47,520

41,588

City of Duarte

7,629

34,652

City of El Monte

43,482

37,079

City of El Segundo

4,193

24,979

City of Gardena

22,436

36,594

City of Glendale

61,494

29,780

City of Glendora

15,451

29,283

City of Hawaiian Gardens

5,101

34,757

City of Hawthorne

30,296

34,122

City of Hermosa Beach

4,850

24,657

City of Hidden Hills

394

20,847

City of Huntington Park

26,632

44,772

City of Industry

1,052

240,732

City of Inglewood

39,595

34,860

City of Irwindale

902

61,823

City of La Canada Flintridge

4,676

22,597

City of La Habra Heights

215

3,941

City of La Mirada

14,554

29,343

City of La Puente

16,202

39,811

City of La Verne

9,420

28,304

City of Lakewood

27,707

34,478

City of Lancaster*

65,372

40,460

City of Lawndale

10,815

32,174

City of Lomita

6,255

30,175

City of Lynwood*

31,816

44,160

City of Malibu

2,951

22,768

City of Manhattan Beach

7,634

21,206

City of Maywood

12,970

46,241

City of Monrovia

12,086

31,149

City of Montebello

25,878

40,199

City of Monterey Park

17,904

28,756

City of Norwalk

43,759

40,660

City of Palmdale

67,979

42,763

City of Palos Verdes Estates

2,344

17,335

City of Paramount

23,055

41,153

City of Pico Rivera

28,507

44,345

City of Pomona

66,684

42,765

City of Rancho Palos Verdes

8,069

18,876

City of Redondo Beach

16,069

23,391

City of Rolling Hills

305

15,722

City of Rolling Hills Estates

1,606

19,795

City of Rosemead

15,537

28,070

City of San Dimas*

11,304

32,750

City of San Fernando

12,964

52,673

City of San Gabriel

11,758

28,710

City of San Marino

2,494

18,784

City of Santa Clarita

75,292

34,158

City of Santa Fe Springs

8,003

43,580

City of Santa Monica

27,290

29,520

City of Sierra Madre

2,492

22,677

City of Signal Hill

4,193

35,543

City of South El Monte

8,557

40,972

City of South Gate

47,784

48,682

City of South Pasadena

6,487

24,899

City of Temple City

10,973

30,100

City of Torrance

35,454

23,752

City of Vernon

361

172,727

City of Walnut

7,730

25,318

City of West Covina

40,306

37,239

City of West Hollywood

11,518

31,171

City of Westlake Village

459

5,490

City of Whittier

31,803

36,375

Los Angeles

1,556,632

38,487

Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie

3,257

39,710

Los Angeles - Alsace

4,623

37,147

Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest

-

-

Los Angeles - Angelino Heights

854

34,133

Los Angeles - Arleta

17,151

49,901

Los Angeles - Atwater Village

5,184

35,347

Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills

10,512

33,773

Los Angeles - Bel Air

2,521

29,909

Los Angeles - Beverly Crest

3,417

27,281

Los Angeles - Beverlywood

4,311

32,726

Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*

41,016

47,208

Los Angeles - Brentwood

8,634

27,892

Los Angeles - Brookside

158

27,194

Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning

2,339

32,847

Los Angeles - Canoga Park

25,825

39,555

Los Angeles - Carthay

4,527

31,518

Los Angeles - Central

17,198

44,106

Los Angeles - Century City

3,868

30,238

Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove

16,589

49,129

Los Angeles - Chatsworth

13,253

35,760

Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills

2,622

28,590