New Metro Vaccine Sites Opening; Hospitalizations Reach New Low

LOS ANGELES, CA — COVID-19 hospitalizations in Los Angeles County have hit the lowest since the pandemic started as the county pushes to vaccinate more people, adding three new sites at Metro Stations in areas hardest hit by the virus.

Although demand has decreased at large-scale county vaccine sites, health officials are ramping up outreach efforts in communities where inoculations have lagged. Three new sites are scheduled to open Tuesday at the C Line's (Green) Crenshaw/105 Station in Hawthorne; the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in Gardena; and the A Line's (Blue) Del Amo Station in Los Angeles, Metro said.

These will be the first vaccination sites at the Metro public transit system and are designed for walk-ups. Each site is a short walk from the train station for easy access.

"The end of the pandemic is within our grasp, but we can only keep making progress if we make life-saving vaccines accessible to all residents, regardless of their zip code," said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti.

"By bringing these new vaccination clinics to Metro transit stations in our hardest-hit communities, we can ensure no Angeleno is left behind on our road to recovery."

Vaccine-site operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The vaccines are free, and appointments can be made by visiting https://www.totaltestingsolutions.com/covid19-vaccine/.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Friday confirmed 16 new deaths and 421 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 16 new deaths reported Friday, six people that died were over the age of 80, six people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, and four people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, according to county health officials.

To date, Public Health identified 1,235,118 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 23,980 deaths.

There are 376 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized in LA County and 22% of these people are in the ICU. The five-day average of daily hospitalizations is 389, the lowest since the beginning of the pandemic.

COVID-19 testing results are available for more than 6,558,000 individuals with 17% of people testing positive. Today's daily test positivity rate is 0.6%. The County's test positivity rate remains very low.

"To the friends and families who are grieving the loss of a loved one, we send our deepest condolences and wish you healing,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health.

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 of the ones operated by the county, are offering shots without appointments.

The county has reduced the size of its four large-scale vaccination sites, but Ferrer said they would remain open, despite a decision by Orange County officials to close their large sites. County sites are still administering about 1,000 vaccinations each day.

"We see the power of vaccinations in our low metrics and reduced transmission," Ferrer said. "It is important to remember those who remain unvaccinated are at a greater risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and a variant of concern."

Ferrer and other health officials urge people to encourage friends and family to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

"If you’ve already been vaccinated, encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to get vaccinated if they haven't done so already," Ferrer said. "Many COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths can be avoided now that we have vaccines available. Vaccines are the best protection from COVID-19."

County health officials are also warning of COVID-19 cases among children, which are very rare, but can sometimes result a few weeks later in very serious illness known as Multi-symptom Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). To date, the county has confirmed 186 children with MIS-C including two child deaths from MIS-C in L.A. County. All 186 children with MIS-C in L.A. County were hospitalized and 37% of the children were treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Of the children with MIS-C, nearly 3% were less than one year of age, 25% were between the ages of 1 and 4 years old, 29% were between the ages of 5 and 9 years old, 27% were between the ages of 10 and 14, and 16% were between the ages of 15 and 20 years old. Latino/Latinx children account for 74% of the reported cases.

Ferrer said Thursday the county does not want to prematurely close the large-scale sites without ensuring the communities in which they're located will still have easy access to vaccinations. She also noted that the federal government could open vaccinations to youth age 12-15 as early as next week, potentially increasing demand for the Pfizer vaccine, which has cold-storage requirements the county is equipped to meet.

COVID-19 vaccinations are available at county-run sites and many community sites. No appointment is required. Anyone 16 and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated. Photo ID is required and teens 16 and 17 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Find a vaccination site or make an appointment at www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish).

People who don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or are over 65, can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment or scheduling a home-visit if homebound. Vaccinations are free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

- City News Service and Patch Editor Nicole Charky contributed to this report.

For more news and information about the vaccine rollout in California, visit Patch's information hub. Also, be sure to check out How To Get The Coronavirus Vaccine In California.