COVID-19 Hospitalizations, Deaths Continue to Outpace Other Respiratory Illnesses
As hospitalizations and deaths remain higher for COVID-19 than other respiratory illnesses, residents still need to take sensible protections to keep those at higher risk safe.
Since October, 69 Los Angeles County residents are known to have died from flu-related illness, a likely undercount since testing and reporting for flu are less robust than they are for COVID-19. Using U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) modeling data, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) estimates that the true number of flu-associated deaths since October is likely closer to 540.
Even using the higher flu figure, there have been more than triple the number of COVID-19 deaths during the same period, with 1,891 LA County residents dying from COVID-related illness from Oct. 1, 2022, to March 1, 2023.
In LA County from 2020-2022, COVID-19 was the second leading cause of death behind coronary heart disease.
Who?s Still at Higher Risk for COVID-19?
People living with underlying health conditions including obesity, kidney disease, diabetes, asthma, pregnancy or recent pregnancy, and other common conditions are at increased risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Additionally, older adults and those living in high-poverty areas are also at a heightened risk.
The most recent data* from Public Health shows the updated bivalent booster makes a significant difference in protecting older adults from COVID-19:
- Unvaccinated people ages 65-79 were 4x more likely to be hospitalized compared to their vaccinated counterparts and more than 10x as likely to be hospitalized compared to those their age who were vaccinated and got the updated booster.
- Unvaccinated residents over 80 were 2.5x more likely to be hospitalized than those over 80-years-old who were vaccinated and boosted with the bivalent booster.
With less access to health-affirming resources and oftentimes greater exposure through work sites, data shows that people who live in areas with greater rates of poverty are also at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Data* found unvaccinated residents living in the poorest areas were:
- 11x more likely to be hospitalized than unvaccinated residents living in the wealthiest areas.
- 14x more likely to be hospitalized than individuals with the bivalent booster.
*For a 90-day period ending Feb. 28.
New COVID-19 Guidance in Place Now
The following steps are strongly recommended to keep residents who are most at-risk safe:
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Test to leave isolation. If you have COVID-19, it remains very important to minimize the risk of passing along an infection. This includes testing negative if leaving isolation between days 5 to 10 of your infection (and only if you?re improving and you?ve been fever free for 24-hours without fever-reducing medicine). Testing before leaving isolation before day 10 will make you significantly less likely to infect others.
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Mask up to leave isolation. After you test negative and leave isolation, please wear a well-fitting mask around others indoors, especially those at higher risk, until day 10. People can be infectious for up to 10 days, and sometimes longer in more severe cases.
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Mask up and test if exposed. If you are a close contact to someone who tests positive, take steps to prevent exposing others. Test as soon as possible. If negative, test again between 3 and 5 days after your known exposure. While symptoms usually appear in the first 3 to 5 days, they can take up to 10 days to appear, so it is recommended close contacts wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after their last exposure.
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Know your COVID-19 status. Take an at-home COVID-19 test before gatherings, especially if those at higher risk will be in attendance, so you don?t unknowingly infect others. Free tests can be found at Public Health vaccination sites and clinics, many libraries, and schools. Health insurance policies, including Medi-Cal, are still required to reimburse each member for up to eight tests a month.
In addition to taking these sensible steps, everyone who is eligible should receive the updated bivalent booster. This booster, available to ages 6 months and older, has been shown to provide significant protection against hospitalization and death even when compared to individuals who have been fully vaccinated but had not received the updated booster.
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Don?t Throw Out Expired COVID Tests Just Yet!
Did you know at-home COVID tests can still be used past the expiration date? If the control ?C? line appears, it?s still good to use. If the "C" line is absent or discolored, the test has expired.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has developed a wide array of documents, guidance documents, and resources for the workers, businesses, partners, and the general public on a variety of topics related to COVID-19, including:
For the Public:
For Businesses:
It is recommended you follow @lapublichealth on?Facebook,?Twitter?or?Instagram?the latest updates about Los Angeles County.
Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:
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