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Dear neighbor,
I am heartbroken by the tragic events that occurred at the Capitol today. My prayers are with the family and colleagues of Officer William Evans who lost his life in the line of duty.
We are making great progress in the fight against COVID-19. To date, 31.4% of Californians have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 15.5% are fully vaccinated. President Biden’s comprehensive American Rescue Plan is helping individuals, families, and businesses across our state and the nation by getting shots in arms, money in pockets, children in schools, and people in jobs. Furthermore, President Biden made the encouraging announcement this week that 90% of the adult U.S. population will be eligible for vaccination and 90% will have a vaccination site within 5 miles of home by April 19th. This is great news – and a signal of hope for the future. If you are currently eligible to receive the vaccine, I encourage you to get vaccinated as soon as you are able. The vaccine is one of our best tools in ending the coronavirus pandemic.
There is light at the end of the tunnel – but now is not the time to let our guard down. In the United States, the total number of coronavirus infections is going up. In the past week, the number of new daily reported cases rose by 13.2%. We must remain vigilant in the fight against COVID-19 and continue to wash our hands frequently; engage in social distancing; and wear a mask in public.
The CDC released new guidance today stating that those who are fully vaccinated can now travel at low risk to themselves. As long as coronavirus precautions are taken, such as washing hands, wearing a mask, and social distancing, fully vaccinated people can travel within the United States without having to get tested for COVID-19 before or self-quarantining after. For more on the new CDC guidance, including guidance for international travel, please click here.
If you would like to continue receiving this weekly COVID e-newsletter, please sign up here.
VACCINE DISTRIBUTION UPDATE
As of yesterday, April 1st, all residents ages 50 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in California and Los Angeles County. In addition to those 50 and older, the following groups are eligible:
For a full list of qualifying health conditions, please click here. On April 15th, all LA County residents over the age of 16 will become eligible for the vaccine.
If you are eligible, please book an appointment to receive your vaccine shot. If you have a disability or do not have access to the internet and need assistance making your vaccination appointment, you can contact the County’s Call Center –– open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. –– at (833) 540-0473. You can also talk with your doctor about getting vaccinated.
Please remember that you aren’t considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after your second shot of Pfizer or Moderna, or first shot of Johnson and Johnson. In this two-week period, please take the necessary precautions to protect yourselves and others from COVID-19. For additional information and frequently asked questions about the vaccine, please visit VaccinateLACounty.com.
STATE AND LOCAL COVID-19 UPDATES
From LA County
Los Angeles County has met the threshold to move into the less restrictive orange tier on California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy on Monday, April 5th. The change is in response to a drop in LA County’s adjusted case rate and test positivity rate. A new Health Officer Order will go into effect on Monday, April 5th, and will outline newly permitted activities.
Do you need assistance paying rent due to COVID-19? The City of Los Angeles Emergency Renters Assistance Program is now accepting applications through April 30th. Please visit hcidla.lacity.org for more details about the program and eligibility requirements. For additional housing resources for landlords and tenants, please visit HousingisKey.com.
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.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- If you are a resident of the City of Los Angeles, please click here to make a vaccine appointment.
- Need health care? Enroll now! Due to COVID-19, Covered California established a special enrollment period that allows any eligible Californian to enroll in health coverage.
- The West LA VA is now offering COVID-19 vaccines to veterans of ALL ages who are eligible for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care and enrolled with VAGLAHS. As of April 1st, VAGLAHS has administered 50,000 COVID-19 vaccinations. Veterans can call the VAGLAHS COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Line at (310) 268-4900 to schedule an appointment.
With the COVID-19 vaccines and the American Rescue Plan, there is light at the end of the tunnel. However, we must remember that the virus remains highly contagious. Please continue to wash your hands frequently; engage in social distancing; and wear a mask in public. For more information on COVID-19 and vaccines, please visit covid19.ca.gov/vaccines and VaccinateLACounty.com and follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I look forward to updating you again soon.
Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Ted W. Lieu
Member of Congress
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