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“The Delta variant is a game-changer,” Los Angeles County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said Thursday.
Ferrer announced that as the Delta variant has become more prevalent in Los Angeles County, the percentage of infections occurring among fully vaccinated residents is also increasing. In March, those vaccinated accounted for just 2% of all infections. In April, it fell to 5%. In May, it was 11%. Stood at 20% in June. The increase coincides with the increase of the more transmissible Delta variant in the county, which now accounts for 84% of all recently identified variants.
But, said Ferrer, there are still some very important reasons to get the vaccine. “If you are vaccinated, the risk that you end up in the hospital, in the intensive care unit, the risk that you end up intubated is much less. “
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One of the reasons for the increase, she noted, “The more people who are vaccinated, the more people will end up testing positive.” Currently, around 53% of LA County residents are vaccinated, so the proportion of those vaccinated to the general population relative to their proportion of those newly infected reflects Ferrer’s logic.
The June 15 reopening could also have something to do with the spread among those vaccinated, she said. “When there is more community transmission, it affects… even those who have protection. If you have more infected people around you, the more likely you are to get infected. “
“These numbers will increase – including among those vaccinated,” she said, “until we get community transmission under control. Masking will help.
Speaking of community transmission, Los Angeles continues to see sharp increases with 2,767 new cases – up from 2,551 on Wednesday and 1,821 on Tuesday. The 7-day average daily case rate, which was 7.1 a week ago, has barely doubled to 12.9 per 100,000. This statistic is considered one of the best indicators in the world. increase and decrease in infections, as it is both an average and does not depend on the number of tests administered.
An important nuance in this increased case rate is that young people seem to be driving it. While 12.9 per 100,000 is certainly high overall, according to LA officials, the case rate for Angelenos between the ages of 18 and 29 is 25 per 100,000. A predominant and more transmissible variant in fact certainly gone. But the vaccination rate certainly plays a role. While 58% of residents in this age group are vaccinated, the number is 92% among those 65-79.
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