On the day it lifted its outdoor mask-wearing mandate thanks to dwindling COVID-19 hospitalization numbers, Los Angeles County reported another 102 virus-related deaths Wednesday, pushing it over the milestone of 30,000 fatalities during the pandemic.
The grim milestone served as a reminder that the coronavirus was continuing to claim lives, even as restrictions begin to ease locally and statewide in response to falling transmission rates and daily case numbers that signaled an end to the winter surge of infections.
“While entering post-surge is welcoming news, we are all aware that post-surge does not mean the pandemic is over, or that transmission is low, or that there will not be additional unpredictable waves of surges in the future that will require integrated public health measures,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement.
The 102 deaths reported Wednesday gave the county a pandemic death toll of 30,081. Another 3,348 COVID infections were also reported, raising the county’s cumulative pandemic total to 2,769,372. The rolling average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 3% as of Wednesday. According to state figures, there were 1,835 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals as of Wednesday, down from 1,995 a day earlier. The number of those patients being treated in intensive care was 388, down from 423 on Tuesday.
Wednesday marked the seventh consecutive day the county’s number of COVID-positive hospitalizations was below 2,500, a benchmark set earlier this month by Ferrer for lifting the local mask-wearing mandate at outdoor mega- events and outdoors at K-12 schools and child care centers. The mandate was officially lifted at 12:01 a.m.
The county’s elimination of the outdoor masking mandate coincided with the state’s Wednesday lifting of its indoor mask-wearing requirement for fully vaccinated residents. Los Angeles County, however, will maintain its indoor mask mandate for all people, regardless of vaccination status.
Ferrer said the county’s indoor masking rule will remain in place until the county’s virus-transmission rate falls to the “moderate” level, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and stays there for two weeks. Ferrer said the county’s rate is declining, and at the current pace, it should reach the “moderate” level by March 16, meaning the indoor mask requirement could be lifted by March 30. She said she understands residents’ desire to shed face coverings, but the “issue is one of timing.” Ferrer said masks are a critical level of protection when virus transmission remains high.
Ferrer urged anyone who attended the Super Bowl — where the vast majority of fans ignored the mask-wearing rule — or watched the game in a crowded location with unmasked people to consider getting tested for COVID.
“To the many residents who watched the Super Bowl this past weekend at SoFi stadium, with friends and family at your home, or at a local bar or restaurant, please get tested if you were in crowded places where many were unmasked,” Ferrer said. “This is particularly important for anyone experiencing illness symptoms. We would like to avoid the increases in cases that have sometimes occurred following large sporting events.”
–
Crossroads says
Be careful next week The death toll will rise then go back down again please wear your mask when you walk into a restaurant then remove it when you eat put back on when you start chewing
Tim Scott says
I am willing to bet that the death toll won’t go down. Covid deaths, like all the rest of deaths, are permanent.
Speaking of which, I was talking to someone who was riding the RWNJ claim that “covid deaths aren’t real, hospitals are just reporting the usual deaths as covid.” In looking for facts to shove down their throat I came across “death certificates issued by county” annual totals and showed them that deaths in LA county, overall, jumped from about 60,000 per year to about 80,000 per year. They had no explanation other than covid to account for the change. Whether this fact was enough to choke their nonsense or not I have no idea, but at least it stopped them temporarily.
FWB says
I know COVID killed a couple of my friends. They were in an extremely high risk group and absolutely refused to get jabbed.
After they died I told my other friend “you’re gonna die like them if you get COVID”. She got Vaxed and caught COVID three months later. She got extremely sick but she’s recovered and thanked me for giving her a push to get jabbed.
I’m still not happy with C H I NA
Tim Scott says
I’m “not happy with China” about lots of stuff, but being ground zero for a viral outbreak is more bad luck than evil design. If you want to talk “nation doing world wide damage with very limited accountability while suffering minimal consequences themselves” the US is a bit too much of a glass house for me to throw any stones.
FWB says
Just bad luck? I was thinking ‘if you play with fire, you might get burned’.
and as for as doing World wide damage with very limited accountability. That’s about to change.
William says
A while back, I heard that insurance companies might charge surcharges or raise premiums on people who aren’t vaxxed and boosted.
It seems like the only thing Rs understand in $$$$$$.
Gun maker Remington just got sued for $73 million and is bankrupt for the Sandy Hook shooting of small school children.
Dominion is suing Fox, Rudy, Sidney Powell and others for $1.3 billion. Hope they bankrupt them all.
Trump Inc. The Crime Syndicate is going down bigly.
Follow the money and take it away from them. That’s the only way they’ll learn unless they also go to prison.
FWB says
Are you willing to stake your credibility on that?
You remind me of a mailman that use to deliver pot on his route in Palmdale. lol