The COVID-19 Delta variant surge may have hit its peak in California. With a leveling off of new cases in the Bay Area and the Los Angeles metro area seeing case numbers flattening over the last two weeks, there are signs of hope.
“The number of cases over the last 14 days is clearly flat and has not really been growing at all,” infectious disease expert Dr. John Swartzberg of UC Berkley told KNX. “So there’s really hope that these two large metropolitan areas in the state, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles metro area, both are flattening right now.”
Swartzberg credits renewed mask mandates for the progress made saying L.A. County health officials led the way.
“Kudos to Los Angeles metro area because they were the first in the state to really put in very significant mask mandates, and I think we’re seeing the salutary effects of that.”
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But Swartzberg says that counties in California often open up too soon after surges and he hopes that is not the case this time around. He also says opening up schools is a risk.
“We will see cases. We’re not going to see zero cases.”
However, Swartzberg says he does not foresee an overwhelming number of cases that could shut down an institution, pointing to vaccination rates, masking, and social distancing.
On Tuesday, the L.A. County Public Health Department confirmed 39 new coronavirus deaths, ranging from ages 30 to 80, raising the death toll from the virus to 25,114, and 2,600 new cases. The news comes as public health inspectors continue visiting businesses across L.A. County to ensure compliance with required safety measures and masking guidelines.
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“We are glad the majority of businesses are following the Health Officer Order on masking and other common-sense, best practice recommendations,” said Los Angeles County Health Officer Muntu Davis.
Five citations were issued to gyms and an office site was also cited for noncompliance with Health Officer Orders from Aug. 14 to Aug. 20, according to the public health department.
“Getting people vaccinated as quickly as possible is essential,” said Davis.
Anyone aged 12 and older living or working in Los Angeles County can get vaccinated for free, and all county-run sites are offering third doses to eligible immunocompromised people.
To find a vaccination site near you and to make an appointment, go to http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/vaccine or call 1-833-540-0473.
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