California is finally bolstering its ground game for getting vaccines into arms.
In an effort that resembles
a get-out-the-vote campaign, the Golden State is hiring 2,000 canvassers to work the phones and knock on doors, report my colleagues Laura J. Nelson and Maya Lau. And stay tuned for a flurry of ads and testimonials on television, radio and even TikTok.
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The state is also expanding its efforts to target those who don’t have the resources that, to date, have proved necessary to get a vaccine in California: cars, reliable internet access, paid sick leave and trusted medical providers. Officials are coordinating free transportation, setting up kiosks outside high-traffic areas such as malls and train stations, and opening more clinics for walk-in appointments.
The county s average number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 has fallen to its lowest point since the onset of the pandemic. The county s five-day average daily number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 was 389 as of Friday. Officials have been touting vaccinations as the key to keeping hospital beds empty, noting that inoculated residents are highly protected from infection, but even if they do still contract the virus, they are extremely unlikely to wind up hospitalized.
“We see the power of vaccinations in our low metrics and reduced transmission,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said last week.
Ferrer said the number of shots administered in the county last week fell about 25% from the previous week. As a result, most vaccination sites, including all the ones operated by the county, are offering shots without appointments.
By City News Service
May 10, 2021
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles County reported 248 new cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths Sunday, though health officials say the relatively low numbers likely reflect reporting delays over the weekend.
According to state figures, there were 389 people hospitalized with the virus as of Sunday in Los Angeles County, down from 400 on Saturday. The number of those patients in intensive care increased from 87 to 90.
Sunday s figures brought the county s totals to 1,235,561 cases and 23,999 deaths since the pandemic began, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
The county s average number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 has fallen to its lowest point since the onset of the pandemic. The county s five-day average daily number of people hospitalized due to COVID was 389 as of Friday. Officials have been touting vaccinations as the key to keeping hospital beds empty, noting that inoculated residents are highl
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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.
May 10, 2021
Starting today, Los Angeles will start issuing appointment-free COVID-19 vaccinations at all of its city-run sites as well as open two additional night clinics. Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement, We stand at a critical juncture in our fight to end this pandemic, and our city will keep doing everything possible to knock down barriers to vaccine access and deliver doses directly to all Angelenos. Our vaccines are safe and effective, and we will continue working to get shots into the arms of our local families, protect ourselves and our loved ones, and start Los Angeles on the road to health, economic growth, and a lasting recovery.