LA County herd immunity now expected in July
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FDA authorizes Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 12 to 15
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday expanded emergency use authorization for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in the United States for older children ages 12 to 15.
LOS ANGELES - With the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations slowing in Los Angeles County, the public health director says it could take slightly longer than originally anticipated for the region to reach a point of so-called herd immunity.
Early in the vaccination effort, health officials had estimated the bulk of the county s population would be inoculated by the end of June. But, speaking to reporters Monday, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the county now is predicting a point of community immunity by mid to late July.
Print COVID-19 deaths and cases continued to drop in Los Angeles County , the Department of Public Health reported Sunday, even as the region approached a grim new marker of 24,000 deaths from the pandemic.
The count, which could be low because of delays in weekend reporting, included five deaths, 248 new cases and 400 hospitalizations.
The daily positivity rate for those who seek testing continues to be low in Los Angeles County, at 0.5%. Not all individuals who carry the virus are tested.
“While transmission is low and we continue to see declines in cases, hospitalizations and deaths, we are approaching the terrible milestone of 24,000 COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer in a statement Saturday.
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It’s never been easier to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Los Angeles County and elsewhere.
Officials are hoping people who have not gotten their shots will take advantage of the opportunity at a time when demand for vaccinations is dropping.
So far, 48.7% of L.A. County residents have received at least one dose of vaccine and 35.4% are fully vaccinated, according to The Times’ vaccination tracker. Now that a vaccine has been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for youth ages 12 to 15, that number will likely increase.
Officials have said that demand for COVID-19 vaccines has waned after an initial surge of interest, as most people who wanted the vaccine and had the time and resources to pursue it already have received at least one shot.
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Young Latino and Black people have the lowest rate of COVID-19 vaccination among any other age, racial and ethnic group in Los Angeles County and officials say they need to do more to make the shots easy and convenient for more people.
Only 18% of Black men and 20% of Black women between the ages of 16 and 29 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, county officials said Thursday. In the Latino community, the numbers are also low, with 24% of men and 31% of women between 16 and 29 receiving at least one dose.
By comparison, 43% of white men and 51% of white women within the same age group have received a dose, as have 57% of Asian American men and 65% of Asian American women, and 43% of Native American men and 53% of Native American women.