The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed 13 new deaths throughout L.A. County, 2,535 new cases countywide and 55 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.

This new data brings Los Angeles County death totals to 32,961, county case totals to 3,363,706 and Santa Clarita Valley case totals to 88,271, with 493 total SCV deaths from COVID-19 since March of 2020.

There are 1,022 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 12,407,063 individuals, with 24% of people testing positive.

Of the 13 new deaths reported today, one person was between the ages of 18-29, one person was between the ages of 30-49, three people were between the ages of 50-64, four people were between the ages of 65-79 and four people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 13 newly reported deaths, 11 had underlying health conditions.

Today’s positivity rate is 10.4%.

Free At-Home COVID Tests Readily Available Across the County

While COVID-19 case rates are declining and L.A. County entered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention medium community level, knowing your health status remains key to slowing the spread in schools, workplaces, and homes.

Residents should get tested when: they have been exposed, have symptoms, before and after gatherings, and when they travel. Residents who test positive, even with an at-home test, need to isolate to avoid infecting others. Residents who test negative but have symptoms should remain home and test again in 24-48 hours to be sure they aren’t infected.

If a test is still negative, but a person remains ill, they may have another virus/illness. Anyone with symptoms should remain home until they are fever free, and symptoms are resolving. Individuals should call their provider if they have concerns about their illness. If an individual does not have a provider, they can call 2-1-1 to get connected to care.

Free over-the-counter tests can be picked up at Department of Public Health vaccination sites and at a variety of locations and partners. Currently, free OTC tests are being distributed at the seven Public Health PODs.

To date, 18,816,372 at-home OTC tests have been distributed county-wide by Public Health, the California Department of Public Health, and the CDC, with many test kits distributed by schools and community partners in communities hard hit by the pandemic. Last week, Public Health distributed 313,780 test kits to partners across numerous sectors, including, but not limited to, 216,000 tests to skilled nursing facilities, 34,000 to community clinics and pharmacies, 19,000 to L.A. County libraries, 12,600 to early childhood education locations and 10,000 to community-based organizations.

As schools reopen, 62 public school districts, plus 203 private and charter schools have testing programs in place. Other K-12 schools who need support with their testing capacity can reach out to Public Health at ACDC-Education@ph.lacounty.gov.

There are many FDA-approved rapid OTC tests that can be used for self-testing at home, at a business, or at other community settings. These OTC antigen tests provide results in a few minutes, as opposed to laboratory-based PCR tests that may take several days to process.

Additionally, at-home tests can be ordered at no charge from the federal government at www.covidtests.gov. Residents who have health insurance can receive eight free at-home tests each month for each insured member in their household.

If you purchase an OTC test from a pharmacy, store, or online retailer and are charged for your test, keep your receipt and submit a claim to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Individuals with any questions should talk with their health care provider to make sure they understand their viral test results and any next steps. Those without easy access to a health care provider who have questions about their test result and what to do next, can call the Public Health COVID-19 information line at 1-833-540-0473, seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who have lost a loved one from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “During this time of elevated community transmission, testing when appropriate can help slow the spread by identifying those individuals who are infected in a timely way so they can limit exposing others to the virus. We are hoping that all school children are testing either before going back to school or in the first week of school to avoid unnecessary spread on school campuses. Students participating in certain extracurricular activities that are associated with elevated risk of viral spread, including medium and high contact indoor sports and indoor performing arts, may want to test weekly during times of elevated transmission, to reduce viral spread. Those returning from travel may also want to test themselves before heading to work, or out in the community, to be sure they didn’t bring back the virus along with their great vacation memories. And those gathering indoors should also test before getting together, particularly if gathering with others at high risk for severe illness should they become infected. Taking sensible steps to reduce risk for others benefits everyone as it diminishes the disruptions and heartache associated with COVID-19.”

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

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).

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.

Schools Community Dashboard

Student Dashboard

Staff Dashboard

Santa Clarita Valley Tuesday Update
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the L.A. County Public Health dashboard reported no additional deaths leaving the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the SCV at 493.

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

Santa Clarita: 403

Castaic: 31

Acton: 17

Stevenson Ranch: 15

Unincorporated Canyon Country: 9 (revised from 10)

Agua Dulce: 6

Val Verde: 3 (revised from 4)

Valencia: 2

Unincorporated Bouquet Canyon: 2

Elizabeth Lake: 2

Newhall: 1

unincorporated Saugus/Canyon Country: 1

Lake Hughes: 1
 

SCV Cases

Of the 88,271 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

Santa Clarita: 65,151

Castaic: 8,894

Stevenson Ranch: 5,218

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 3,203

Acton: 1,769

Val Verde: 973

Agua Dulce: 899

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 846

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 391

Elizabeth Lake: 241

Bouquet Canyon: 185

Lake Hughes: 182

Saugus/Canyon Country: 105

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 98

Sand Canyon: 57

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 41

Placerita Canyon: 18

*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 Tuesday

The California Department of Public Health now updates their numbers on Tuesday and Friday. The information below is from the most recent data released Tuesday, Aug. 16.

Vaccinations

– 79,191,867 total vaccines administered.

– 79.9% of the eligible population (5+) has been vaccinated with at least one dose.

– 28,723 people a day are receiving COVID-19 vaccination (average daily dose count over 7 days).

Cases

– California has 10,146,137 confirmed cases to date.

– Tuesday’s average case count is 11,289 (average daily case count over 7 days).

– Unvaccinated people are 6.9 times more likely to get COVID-19 than boosted individuals (July 11, 2022 – July 17, 2022).

Testing

– The testing positivity rate is 11.4% (average rate over 7 days).

Hospitalizations

– There are 4,228 hospitalizations statewide.

– There are 448 ICU patients statewide.

– Unvaccinated people are 11.7 times more likely to be hospitalized than boosted individuals (July 11, 2022 – July 17, 2022).

Deaths

– There have been 93,517 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

– COVID-19 claims the lives of 36 Californians each day (average daily death count over 7 days).

– Unvaccinated people are 11.2 times more likely to die than boosted individuals (July 4, 2022 – July 10, 2022).

Health Care Workers

As of Aug. 11, local health departments have reported 176,355 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 588 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 July 31 to Aug. 6, the average time patients waited for test results was 0.8 day. During this same time period, 88% of patients received test results in one day and 97% received them within two days.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

As of Aug. 15, there have been 1011 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.

Preparing for a Healthy 2022-23 School Year

The Safe Schools for All Hub consolidates key resources and information related to COVID-19 and schools.

Learn more about the COVID-19 mitigation strategies to keep students, staff, and communities safe in the 2022-23 K-12 Schools Guidance.

Get more information on changes to COVID-19 testing strategies for the 2022-23 school year in the 2022-23 K-12 Schools Testing Framework.

The CDPH Testing Taskforce School Testing team has released a 2022-2023 K-12 Schools Testing Framework Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

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 individual six months of age and older receive their primary COVID-19 vaccine series and booster dose.

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.