Dear neighbor, 

California is open! I’m pleased that after 15 months of restrictions and closures due to COVID-19, our state is back. With over 40 million vaccines administered statewide, we are on our way to returning to normal. I am deeply grateful to every frontline worker, first responder, and health care professional for their sacrifices in the fight against this virus. We wouldn’t be here without you.

This week was bittersweet. As we celebrated the achievement of reopening our state, we also hit a tragic milestone of 600,000 American deaths due to COVID-19. This is a brutal reminder that we continue to lose lives to this terrible disease. My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one due to COVID-19. As we make progress in the fight against COVID, we must never forget those we’ve lost and their families.

As you begin to resume normal activities, please continue to follow LA County’s guidelines to stay safe and healthy. In compliance with state guidelines, all businesses and activities may return to usual operations. Schools and institutions of higher education can resume full-time, in person classes. For more information, please view the county’s updated Health Officer Order. 

In LA County, masks are no longer required for fully vaccinated individuals, except in the following settings where masks are required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status:

• On public transit
• Indoors in K-12 schools, childcare, and other youth settings
• Health care settings
• State and local correctional facilities and detention centers
• Homeless shelters, emergency shelters, and cooling centers
  

If you are not fully vaccinated, you are still required to wear a mask in indoor public settings and businesses. For more information on new masking requirements, including guidance for businesses and venue operators on how to implement these requirements, please click here.

Throughout the pandemic, parents and caregivers have sacrificed so much to care for their loved ones at home. They cannot go back to work unless they know their loved ones are safe and cared for. Last week, I hosted a virtual roundtable with representatives from SEIU, AARP California, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance on the importance of investing in the Care Economy. I appreciated their meaningful insights on the challenges facing the caregiving workforce and look forward to advancing President Biden’s American Jobs Plan in Congress to create jobs and raise wages and benefits for essential home care workers. 

Get Vaccinated!

If you haven’t already, please get vaccinated to help our community recover. Everyone age 12 and older who lives or works in LA County is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Please check VaccinateLACounty.com for updated information on walk-in vaccinations or to book an appointment ahead of time. To find a vaccination site near you, please visit corona-virus.la/VaxSites.

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 call this number if you or a family member need to be vaccinated at home. 

Additional Resources

• Are you planning to travel? Before you book a flight abroad, it is critical that you check your passport to make sure it’s current and won’t expire within 6 months of your trip. Many countries do not allow people to visit if their passport will expire in fewer than six months. To renew your passport, please click here. 
  
  
  
  
• Many Californians have applied for unemployment claims with the State of California’s Employment Development Department (EDD). If you require assistance in contacting EDD regarding a pending unemployment claim or the processing of your benefits, you may contact your California state legislators to seek assistance. To find your state legislators, please visit findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.
  
  
• The West LA VA is offering walk-in vaccinations veterans of ALL ages and their spouses or caregivers. Please call (310) 268-4900 for information about walk-in times and locations.  

• Looking for employment? UPS is hiring in the Los Angeles Area! If you lost your job due to COVID-19, UPS jobs offer an opportunity to launch a new career. If interested, please apply at upsjobs.com.
  
  
• If you need someone to talk to, please call the LA County Department of Mental Health hotline at (800) 854-7771 or text “LA” to 741741.
  
  
• If you are in need of food assistance; housing relief; information about COVID-19; and more, please call 2-1-1 or visit 211la.org.
  
  

Thank you for your continued efforts to keep our community safe. For more information, please visit my website at lieu.house.gov and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Stay safe. 

Sincerely, 

Ted W. Lieu  
Member of Congress