The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Friday 47 new deaths and 1,427 new cases of COVID-19 countywide, with 21 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.

L.A. County death totals are 30,957, L.A. county case totals are 2,802,123 and Santa Clarita Valley case totals are 71,787 since March of 2020.

Given that the county is now at the Low Community Risk Level, Public Health has modified the Health Officer Order to update the county’s masking guidance. Under the modified order, indoor masking is now strongly recommended, but not required, for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in public settings and businesses, except in high-risk settings where federal or state regulations continue to require masking. Masks will be required while indoors at all schools until March 12 when masking indoors for both vaccinated and unvaccinated students, staff, teachers, and visitors, is strongly recommended.

The settings where masking continues to be required also include public transit, transportation hubs, all health care settings (including long term care and adult and senior care facilities), correctional and detention facilities, homeless shelters, heating and cooling centers, and emergency shelters.

At all sites where masking indoors is no longer mandatory, employers will be required to offer, for voluntary use, medical grade masks and respirators to employees working indoors in close contact with other workers, customers and/or members of the public.

Furthermore, residents are encouraged to assess their personal and family risks and may decide that wearing a mask is the right decision for them. In deciding, individuals should consider:

Are there individuals in the household who have underlying health conditions that create elevated risk for severe illness from COVID?
Are there unvaccinated family members in the household including young children not yet eligible for vaccines?
Does anyone in the household work in a setting with vulnerable individuals at elevated risk of severe illness from COVID?
The modified Health Officer Order also updates requirements for pre-entry vaccination or negative test verifications. Vaccine verification in health care and congregate care settings is still required. Pre-entry vaccine verification also remains required for entry to indoor mega events, with a negative test result as a substitute for those not fully vaccinated. Pre-entry vaccine verification, or verification of a negative COVID-19 viral test, is now strongly recommended, but no longer required, at outdoor mega events and indoor portions of bars, nightclubs, and lounges.

Public Health notes that as mandated safety measures decrease at many sites and public spaces, individuals are encouraged to take advantage of the powerful protections offered by the FDA approved COVID vaccines and boosters.

When looking at case rates for residents five years of age and older from February 13-19, unvaccinated residents were almost two and a half times more likely to be infected with COVID-19 when compared to those fully vaccinated, but not boosted, and more than three times more likely to be infected than people who were vaccinated and boosted.

Unvaccinated people were also four times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 when compared to those fully vaccinated, but not boosted, and nine times more likely to be hospitalized than people who were vaccinated and boosted.

The difference is most stark with deaths. For the period of February 6-12, fully vaccinated individuals were 18 times less likely to die from COVID-19 than unvaccinated individuals.

“Our hearts remain with those families experiencing the sorrow of losing those they love to COVID-19,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “With fewer people becoming infected and becoming severely ill with COVID-19, and safety requirements relaxed, it is very tempting to think the pandemic is over and we can return to the way things were before March 2020. And while transmission has slowed and we have powerful tools that help many avoid the worst effects of the virus, there continue to be thousands of people whose lives, families and work are disrupted each day because they or someone close to them is newly infected, and for some, their infection will lead to severe illness. With fewer required safety measures, getting vaccinated and boosted provides both individual and community protection that can help safeguard those who remain vulnerable. If you are one of the 1.7 million eligible residents who haven’t yet received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, or one of the 2.7 million residents eligible for, but not yet boosted, this is a very good time to make an appointment or walk in to one of the hundreds of convenient sites across the county where you can get your vaccine or booster for free.”

Today, Public Health confirmed 47 additional deaths and 1,427 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 47 new deaths reported today, one person was between the ages of 30-49, five were between the ages of 50-64, 14 were between the ages of 65-79 and 24 were aged 80 years or older. Of the 47 newly reported deaths, 39 had underlying health conditions. Information on the three deaths reported by the City of Pasadena is available at www.CityofPasadena.net. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 30,957.

Public Health has reported a total of 2,802,123 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 1.2%.

There are 817 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 11,462,800 individuals, with 22% of people testing positive.

To keep workplaces and schools open, residents and workers are asked to:

– Get tested to help reduce the spread, especially if you traveled for the holidays, have had a possible exposure, or have symptoms, or are gathering with people not in your household

– Adhere to masking requirements when indoors or at crowded outdoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status

– Residents are legally required to be isolated if they have a positive COVID test result and vaccinated close contacts with symptoms and unvaccinated close contacts need to be quarantined.

For information on where you can get tested, please visit www.covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/.

For updated isolation and quarantine guidance, please visit www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and are recommended for everyone 5 years old and older to help protect against COVID-19. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status. Appointments are not needed at all Public Health vaccination sites and many community sites where first, second, and third doses are available.

To find a vaccination site near you, or to make an appointment, please visit:

www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) or

www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish).

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital currently has zero tests pending, 12 patients in the hospital and a total of 2,192 patients who have been treated and discharged since the pandemic began and no additional deceased, spokesman Patrick Moody confirmed.

Privacy laws prohibit the hospital from releasing the community of residence for patients who die there; that info is reported by the L.A. County Public Health COVID-19 dashboard, which generally lags 48 hours behind.

William S. Hart Union High School District COVID-19 Dashboard

The William S. Hart Union High School District provides ongoing information to our community regarding COVID-19 cases while maintaining confidentiality for our students and staff. The COVID-19 case data below is updated regularly to indicate any currently confirmed COVID-19 positive case in staff members or students by school site. The data below is specific to individuals who have been physically present on a District campus within 14 days of receiving a positive COVID-19 test. The District, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, conducts contact tracing and directly notifies and provides resources for parents of students identified as close contacts (6 feet or less for 15 cumulative minutes or more).

Note: To see the communication process in the event of a positive COVID-19 case, visit https://www.hartdistrict.org/apps/pages/covid-19dashboard.

Student Dashboard

Staff Dashboard

Santa Clarita Valley Friday Update
As of 5:30 p.m. Friday, the L.A. County Public Health dashboard reported no additional deaths, leaving the total number of deaths reported in the SCV at 439.

The following is the community breakdown per L.A. County’s dashboard:

Santa Clarita: 360

Castaic: 27

Acton: 17

Unincorporated Canyon Country: 9 (revised from 10)

Stevenson Ranch: 11

Agua Dulce: 5

Val Verde: 3

Valencia: 2

Unincorporated Bouquet Canyon: 2

Elizabeth Lake: 1

Newhall: 1

unincorporated Saugus/Canyon Country: 1

Lake Hughes: 0 (**revised from 1)

SCV Cases

Of the 71,787 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

Santa Clarita: 53,367

Castaic: 7,049

Stevenson Ranch: 3,964

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 2,563

Acton: 1,500

Val Verde: 825

Agua Dulce: 777

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 664

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 309

Elizabeth Lake: 203

Bouquet Canyon: 148

Lake Hughes: 145

Saugus/Canyon Country: 89

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 87

Sand Canyon: 48

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 34

Placerita Canyon: 15

*Note: The county is unable to break out separate numbers for Castaic and PDC/NCCF because the county uses geotagging software that cannot be changed at this time, according to officials. Click here for the LASD COVID-19 dashboard.

California Friday

Statewide COVID-19 Data

Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are largely occurring among unvaccinated populations. See the data for unvaccinated and vaccinated cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Vaccinations

– 71,808,499 total vaccines administered.

– 83.2% of the eligible population (5+) has been vaccinated with at least one dose.

– 47,901 people a day are receiving COVID-19 vaccination (average daily dose count over 7 days).

Cases

– California has 8,399,677 confirmed cases to date.

– Thursday’s average case count is 5,671 (average daily case count over 7 days).

– Unvaccinated people are 5.3 times more likely to get COVID-19 than boosted individuals (Feb. 7, 2022 – Feb. 13, 2022).

Testing

– The testing positivity rate is 2.5% (average rate over 7 days).

Hospitalizations

– There are 3,622 hospitalizations statewide.

– There are 680 ICU patients statewide.

– Unvaccinated people are 8.9 times more likely to be hospitalized than boosted individuals (Feb. 7, 2022 – Feb. 13, 2022).

Deaths

– There have been 85,353 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

– COVID-19 claims the lives of 164 Californians each day (average daily death count over 7 days).

– Unvaccinated people are 17.1 times more likely to die than boosted individuals (Jan. 31, 2022 – Feb. 6, 2022).

Health Care Workers

Note: As of March 3, local health departments have reported 149,192 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 571 deaths statewide.

Testing Turnaround Time

The testing turnaround time dashboard reports how long California patients are waiting for COVID-19 test results. During the week of Feb. 20 to Feb. 26, the average time patients waited for test results was 1.1 day. During this same time period, 89% of patients received test results in one day and 96% received them within two days.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

As of Feb. 28, there have been 867 cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported statewide. MIS-C is a rare inflammatory condition associated with COVID-19 that can damage multiple organ systems. MIS-C can require hospitalization and be life threatening.

Additional Updates

Mask Guidance: Under California’s mask guidance, universal masking is required only in specified higher risk settings like hospitals, public transit and congregate living facilities. Unvaccinated persons are required to mask in all indoor public settings. Fully vaccinated individuals are recommended to continue indoor masking when the risk may be high. Workplaces will continue to follow the COVID-19 prevention standards set by CalOSHA. Local health jurisdictions may implement requirements that are stricter than state guidance.

Slow the Spread: Get Vaccinated and Boosted for COVID-19

The risk for COVID-19 exposure and infection continues as a number of Californians remain unvaccinated and unboosted.

Real-world evidence continues to show that the vaccine is preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Public health officials urge Californians to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.

It is recommended that every vaccinated person 12 years or older should get a booster as long as they received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least five months ago or they received their Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.

Vaccination appointments can be made by visiting myturn.ca.gov or calling 1-833-422-4255. The consent of a parent or legal guardian may be needed for those under age 18 to receive a vaccination. Visit Vaccinate All 58 to learn more about the safe and effective vaccines available for all Californians 5+.

Your Actions Save Lives

Protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these prevention measures:

Keep California Healthy
Protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these prevention measures:

– Get vaccinated when it’s your turn. Californians age 16+ are eligible to make an appointment.

– If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches), call your health care provider.

– If you believe you have been exposed, get tested. Free, confidential testing is available statewide.

– Keep gatherings small and outdoors and follow state and local public health guidance.

– Wear a mask and get the most out of masking – an effective mask has both good fit and good filtration.

– Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

– Delay non-essential travel outside of California until you are fully vaccinated. Follow California’s travel advisory.

– Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home from work and school if you feel ill.

– Add your phone to the fight by signing up for COVID-19 exposure notifications from CA Notify.

– Answer the call or text if a contact tracer from the CA COVID Team or your local health department tries to connect.

Additional data and udpates:

Tracking COVID-19 in California

State Dashboard – Daily COVID-19 data

County Map – Local data, including tier status and ICU capacity

Data and Tools – Models and dashboards for researchers, scientists, and the public

Blueprint for a Safer Economy– Data for establishing tier status

COVID-19 Race & Ethnicity Data – Weekly updated Race & Ethnicity data

Cases and Deaths by Age Group – Weekly updated Deaths by Age Group data

Health Equity Dashboard – See how COVID-19 highlights existing inequities in health

Tracking Variants – Data on the variants California is currently monitoring

Safe Schools for All Hub – Information about safe in-person instruction

School Districts Reopening Map – data on public schools and reported outbreaks

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

– Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

– California Department of Public Health

– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

– Spanish

– World Health Organization

L.A. County residents can also call 2-1-1.

What to Do if You Think You’re Sick
Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath), call your health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken. More than 85 community testing sites also offer free, confidential testing: Find a COVID-19 Testing Site.

For more information about what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California.

California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting California from COVID-19. Consolidated guidance is available on the California Department of Public Health’s Guidance webpage.