Health experts urge caution as LA shows modest improvement in COVID-19 cases

LOS ANGELES (KABC) – The number of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, while still high, is finally moving in the right direction in Los Angeles County.

Intensive care units at Los Angeles area hospitals have been filled for weeks as healthcare workers struggle to treat an overwhelming number of COVID-19 patients.

The holiday season, with its travels and gatherings, was seen as a major factor in the early January surge.

That surge is now stabilizing, although cases, deaths and hospitalizations remain higher than they were in last summer’s surge.

Health experts are expressing cautious optimism – noting that the public still needs to take significant precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.

“We’re at a really good time right now,” said Dr Anthony Cardillo, CEO of Mend Urgent Care. “We don’t want to see a shift going in the wrong direction.”

The distribution of vaccines is also likely to begin to help reduce new infections. Thousands of shots are administered at Dodger Stadium and other locations across the county.

The vaccination process has started with those most at risk for the virus and those most at risk of severe symptoms.

“We know that now that we have the health care providers vaccinated, the nursing home population vaccinated and the thousands of people over 65 who have started their immunization sequence, we are seeing these results right now. ”Cardillo said. “And that’s really helping to contribute to that decline.”

With home orders easing in California, restaurants are open again for al fresco dining, but health officials say people should only dine with family members and other people living in the same household.

And they remind everyone to stay alert.

“We need to maintain our sensitivity and our common sense of what actually decreases the transmission of this virus.”