On Monday, Los Angeles County Public Health officials confirmed three new deaths and 124 new cases of COVID-19 countywide, with 28,130 total cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Of the three new deaths reported today, one person that passed away was over the age of 80, and two people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79.

“We give our deepest condolences to those of you who are grieving the loss of a loved one, a friend, or a co-worker during this pandemic. Our hearts and thoughts are with you at this time,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health.

To date, Public Health identified 1,247,742 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,444 deaths.

There are 213 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for nearly 6,960,000 individuals with 17% of people testing positive.

Today’s daily test positivity rate is 0.7%.

Cal/OSHA Standards Update

Last Thursday, the Cal/OSHA standards board voted to pass a modified set of emergency temporary standards for COVID-19 prevention in workplaces.

The Governor immediately issued an executive order to make these standards effective last Friday.

Cal/OSHA standards now require face coverings only in specific situations for specific employees.

Masks are required for all unvaccinated employees when indoors or in shared vehicles.

Employees who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear masks at most indoor workplaces.

To permit this at the workplace, employers must document the vaccination status of those employees.

The State Public Health Officer has ordered that all persons, regardless of vaccination status, wear their face covering on public transit and in transportation hubs; indoors while inside K-12 schools, childcare, camps and other youth settings; in healthcare settings, including long term care facilities; in state and local correctional facilities and detention centers; and in homeless shelters, emergency shelters, and cooling centers; and indoors at mega-events with more than 5,000 attendees.

The new standards also eliminate everyday physical distancing requirements.

Public Health inspectors will be out over the next few weeks ensuring compliance with Cal/OSHA standards and providing technical assistance.

Violations of safety requirements can be reported anonymously to Public Health by phone at 888-700-9995 or online at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Public Health says the best way unvaccinated workers can be protected is by wearing an appropriate face covering when at work, especially when indoors, and when outdoors and unable to physically distance.

Wearing a surgical mask dramatically decreases the number of aerosol particles that a person breathes in.

Surgical masks also protect others in the case the wearer has an infection they are not aware of.

For workers who are at higher risk, either due to an underlying illness or unavoidable close contact with people indoors, there is the option of upgrading to a respirator mask.

Respirators, such as N95 or KN95 masks, are masks that have met a special standard and filters out smaller particles than that the surgical mask allows in.

Although much of the responsibility for protecting unvaccinated workers rests with employers and employees, customers also play a vital role.

Public Health explains wearing a mask when you enter a place of business protects not only you but everyone inside, especially unvaccinated employees. It’s especially important if you are unvaccinated that you always wear a mask when entering public places.

If you’re sick, avoid entering businesses at all until you feel better.

For more information on the County reopening including masking requirements, travel guidance, best practices, and remaining sector protocols, visit ReopeningLACounty.com.

California Monday Snapshot

Statewide, as of Sunday, June 20, California Department of Public Health officials confirmed 3,704,005 COVID-19 cases (up 1,123) with 62,693 deaths from the disease (up 4) since the pandemic began.

Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

As of June 20, local health departments have reported 112,509 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 468 deaths statewide.

The 7-day positivity rate is 1.0%.

There have been 68,646,405 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 113,272 during the prior 24-hour reporting period.

As of June 21, providers have reported administering a total of 40,531,398 vaccine doses statewide.

The CDC reports that 47,532,595 doses have been delivered to entities within the state.

Numbers do not represent true day-to-day change as reporting may be delayed.

See more California information later in this report.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Monday Update

As of Monday, June 21, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital had zero cases pending, seven patients have been hospitalized in a dedicated COVID unit and there have been no additional deceased, hospital spokesman Patrick Moody said.

The last COVID-related death occurred May 21, 2021.

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

Santa Clarita Valley Monday Update

As of 6 p.m. Sunday, the L.A. County Public Health COVID-19 dashboard recorded 307 deaths among Santa Clarita Valley residents since the pandemic began.

The following is the community breakdown of the 307 SCV residents who have died, according to the L.A. County dashboard:

264 in Santa Clarita

17 in Castaic

6 in Acton

6 in Stevenson Ranch

4 in unincorporated Canyon Country

3 in Agua Dulce

1 in unincorporated Bouquet Canyon

1 in Elizabeth Lake

1 in Lake Hughes

1 in Newhall

1 in unincorporated Saugus/Canyon Country

1 in Valencia

1 in Val Verde

Of the 28,130 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

* City of Santa Clarita: 20,602

* Castaic: 3,748 (incl. Pitchess Detention Center & North County Correctional Facility*)

* Stevenson Ranch: 1,167

* Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 854

* Acton: 490

* Val Verde: 338

* Agua Dulce: 290

* Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 197

* Saugus (unincorporated portion): 132

* Elizabeth Lake: 82/p>

* Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 69

* Bouquet Canyon: 49

* Lake Hughes: 42

* Saugus/Canyon Country: 40

* Sand Canyon: 17

* San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 15

* Placerita Canyon: 3

*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.

From now through July 4th, Uber and Lyft are offering 4 free rides (up to 25$ each) to and from vaccination sites.

L.A. County Vaccine Update

As of June 18, 10,183,455 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to people across Los Angeles County. Of these, 5,717,803 were first doses and 4,465,652 were second doses. Among L.A. County residents 16 and over, 67% have received one dose of vaccine and 58% are fully vaccinated.

To make it as easy as possible for eligible L.A. County residents to get vaccinated, L.A. County continues to offer vaccines at many different sites across the county.

This week, there are 767 sites offering vaccinations including pharmacies, clinics, community sites, and hospitals.

Many of these vaccination sites are concentrated in areas that have been hard-hit by the pandemic.

Currently, you can obtain vaccines at County-run sites, L.A. City-run sites, almost all mobile sites and many of the community sites without an appointment.

Many sites are open on weekends and have evening hours.

This week there are 247 sites where mobile teams will be offering vaccinations which are concentrated in higher-need, harder-hit areas.

Now that L.A. County has fully reopened, the County is continuing to direct resources toward mobile vaccination sites out of a sense of urgency to vaccinate as many residents as possible.

For many people, being able to get your vaccine at a place you know that’s in your neighborhood makes it much more convenient.

The County is transitioning from the four larger capacity vaccination sites to community sites accessible by public transit.

The California State University Northridge site’s last day of operations was Jun 7; vaccinations will continue to be available to nearby residents at the Balboa Sports Complex vaccination site.

If you received your first dose at the California State University Northridge site, you can receive your second dose at the nearby Balboa Sports Complex site.

The Pomona Fairplex, Forum, and LACOE/Downey large capacity vaccination sites closed June 13 with new community sites at Ted Watkins Memorial Park in South L.A., the Commerce Senior Citizens Center in the City of Commerce, and the Norwalk Arts and Sports Complex in the City of Norwalk replacing them.

Public Health continues to build an extensive network with pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, hospitals, health clinics, and community vaccination sites, including these large-capacity sites:

* Dodger Stadium (operated by the city of Los Angeles)

* College of the Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91355

* Palmdale Oasis Park Recreation Center, 3850 E Ave S, Palmdale, CA 93550

* California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles 90032 (operated by FEMA)

Vaccination Sweepstakes

Through Thursday, June 24 at County-run vaccination sites, participating L.A. City sites, and St. John’s Well Child and Family Center sites, everyone 18 and older coming to get their first vaccine or who brings a first-time vaccine recipient with them to their second dose appointment, will have an opportunity to win one of three prizes: two 17-ticket packages to see Pepe Aguilar at the Staples Center this November, and one VIP Experience for 20 people at Universal Studios Hollywood. Official rules and participating site locations are posted online on the Los Angeles County Vaccination Sweepstakes page.

Visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish) to learn how to make an appointment at vaccination sites. If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over 65, you can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

L.A. County Public Health’s Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Death Rate Disparities Among Racial/Ethnic Groups

The County continues to see significant decreases in overall rates, but the rates are not distributed equally among racial and ethnic groups.

On May 15, the were 46 cases among every 100,000 Black residents, with much lower numbers among Latinx (27 cases per 100,000 people), White (24 cases per 100,000 people), and Asian (11 cases per 100,000 people) residents.

On June 12, one month later, the case rate had decreased among all of residents, but still remained highest among Black residents, with a rate of 40 cases per 100,000 people.

While case incidence rates decreased in White (16 cases per 100,000 people) and Asian (6 cases per 100,000 people) residents by one-half to one-third, they decreased by only 15 to 25 percent in Black and Latinx (21 cases per 100,000 people) residents.

Death rates have followed a somewhat similar pattern.

On May 15, the rate of 1.6 deaths for every 100,000 Black residents was more than twice the death rate in all other groups.

A month later, death rates had decreased dramatically in all groups – and while the death rate in Black residents had decreased by three-quarters to 0.4 deaths for every 100,000 residents, it was now 4 times higher than the death rate of 0.1 in Asian residents and twice as high as the death rate of 0.2 in White residents.

The death rate among Latinx was 0.3 per 100,000 people.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

Each week, the California Department of Public Health updates the number of cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported in the state.

As of June 14, there have been 541 cases of MIS-C have been 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.

Parents should be aware of the signs and symptoms of MIS-C including fever that does not go away, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes, or feeling tired.

Although very rare, COVID-19 cases among children can sometimes result a few weeks later in very serious illness known as Multi-symptom Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

Vaccine Eligibility Update

As of May 13, vaccination appointments for individuals aged 12+ can be made by visiting myturn.ca.gov. The consent of a parent or legal guardian may be needed for those between the ages of 12 and 17 to receive a vaccination. For more information on the vaccine effort, visit Vaccinate All 58.

Tracking COVID-19 in California

* State Dashboard – Daily COVID-19 data

* County Map – Local data

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

* 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

California Testing & Turnaround Time

The testing turnaround time dashboardreports how long California patients are waiting for COVID-19 test results.

During the week of June 6 to June 12, the average time patients waited for test results was under one day.

During this same time period, 87% of patients received test results in one day and 97% received them within two days.

Protect Yourself and Your Family: Your Actions Save Lives

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

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

* Avoiding non-essential travel, and practicing self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival if you leave the state.

* Keeping interactions limited to people who live in your household.

* Wearing a cloth face mask when out in public.

* Washing hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.

* Avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

* Covering a cough or sneeze with your sleeve or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward.

* Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.

* Staying away from work, school, or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.

* Staying home except for essential needs/activities following local and state public health guidelines when patronizing approved businesses. To the extent that sectors are re-opened, Californians may leave their homes to work at, patronize, or otherwise engage with those businesses, establishments or activities.

* Getting tested if you believe you’ve been exposed. Free, confidential testing is available statewide.

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

* Answering the call if a contact tracer from the CA COVID Team or local health department tries to connect.

* Following guidance from public health officials.

California COVID-19 Data and Tools

A wide range of data and analysis guides California’s response to COVID-19. The state is making the data and its analytical tools available to researchers, scientists and the public at covid19.ca.gov.

* The Statewide COVID-19 Dashboard

* The California COVID-19 Assessment Tool (CalCAT)

* State Cases and Deaths Associated with COVID-19 by Age Group

* COVID-19 Race & Ethnicity Data

* COVID-19 Hospital Data and Case Statistics

* View additional datasets at the California Open Data Portal (including Testing Data, PPE Logistics Data, Hospital Data, Homeless Impact and more)

Consolidated guidance is available on the California Department of Public Health’s Guidance webpage.

* * * * *

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus (COVID-19):

* Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

* California Department of Public Health

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

* Spanish

* World Health Organization

* Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard

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

* * * * *