LOS ANGELES (KNX) — As Los Angeles County residents celebrate the lift of indoor mask mandates — marking freedom in restaurants, retail and grocery stores for both unvaccinated and vaccinated Angelenos — health officials issued a reminder Friday that vaccination is the best way to combat COVID-19.
"It is very tempting to think the pandemic is over and we can return to the way things were before March 2020," Barbara Ferrer, the director of Public Health, said in a statement. "With fewer required safety measures, getting vaccinated and boosted provides both individual and community protection that can help safeguard those who remain vulnerable."
In data released by Public Health, unvaccinated people were found to be nine times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated and boosted.
"The difference is most stark with deaths," the department said in a statement. "For the period of Feb. 6-12, fully vaccinated individuals were 18 times less likely to die from COVID-19 than unvaccinated individuals."
As of Thursday, more than seven million L.A. County residents ages five and up have been fully vaccinated.
Though L.A. County and the state of California have aligned with the CDC's new guidelines, both have said wearing masks — especially in crowded indoor areas, is no longer required but still "strongly recommended."
Earlier this week the CDC released its new "community level" guidelines, which allow for communities in the "low" and "medium" levels to remove indoor mask mandates. The CDC said the categories are based largely on the number of new virus-related hospital admissions and on the overall availability of hospital beds.
Thursday, L.A. County fell into the low level, allowing for full removal of the indoor mandate. However, masks will continue to be mandatory in some areas, such as transportation hubs and all health care settings.
When deciding whether to wear a mask or not wear a mask in certain settings, L.A. health officials said all Angelenos should ask themselves these questions:
- Are there individuals in the household who have underlying conditions?
- Are there unvaccinated family members or young children ineligible for vaccination in the household?
- Does anyone in the household work in a setting with vulnerable individuals?
Friday the Department of Public Health released new COVID numbers, indicating 47 additional deaths and 1,427 new COVID-19 cases. A total of 817 people in L.A. County remain hospitalized with COVID-19.
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