Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, December 06, 2022
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
COVID-19 UPDATE (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
COVID-19 Positive Case Information by the Numbers
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health COVID-19 case data as of 11/27/2022 listed below.
• New Cases: 1,599*
• Total Cases Reported: 3,535,493*
• 7-Day Daily Average Positivity Rate: 8.24%
• Carson Total Confirmed Cases: 32,732
*includes cases reported by Long Beach and Pasadena Public Health Departments
Additional COVID-19 testing information can be found at <https://dhs.lacounty.gov/covid-19/testing/>.
County/City of Carson Vaccination Status
As of the date of this report, 84.1% of Carson residents 6+ months of age and over have received at least one vaccine dose. The chart below shows vaccination rates for the City of Carson in comparison to the rates among the county.
Additional COVID-19 vaccine information can be found at <https://carsonca.gov/vaccine/>.
City of Carson specific updates:
• The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to affect many city employees. Employees who were unable to work due to being ill with the virus or for being contact traced were provided leave benefits under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA); Supplemental Paid Sick Leave of 2021 (SPSL) and Supplemental Paid Sick Leave of 2022 (SPSL22).
o Number of employees who tested positive since start of Pandemic: 361
o Number of employees who tested positive since January 1, 2022: 224
o Number of FFCRA, SPSL and SPSL22 benefit recipients: 334
• Masks continue to be required by all city employees and participants in city recreational and educational programs and camps.
Public Health updates:
• Currently, LA County is experiencing high levels of circulating respiratory viruses. To help reduce transmission it is strongly recommended that everyone wears a well-fitting respirator mask in indoor public spaces and when traveling. This includes when using public transit such as buses, ride shares, taxis and medical transport.
• The updated Fall COVID-19 boosters, plus flu vaccines, are readily available at Public Health sites, pharmacies, and other locations across the county. Seniors and residents who can’t easily leave their home can contact Public Health telehealth services at (833) 540-0473, seven days a week, from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm to arrange for at-home COVID-19 Fall booster and primary series vaccinations or transportation to a vaccination center. Insurance is not required, and callers can be assisted in multiple languages.
• Residents can also go to VaccinateLACounty.com to find nearby vaccination sites, request a mobile vaccination team for your worksite or community event, or an in-home visit if you or someone you know is homebound.
Monkeypox Information:
In early August, both State of California and County of Los Angeles declared states of emergency due to the growing number of monkeypox cases. Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus not commonly seen in the United States. Infections in the U.S. are usually associated with travel to West or Central Africa or contact with imported infected animals. Monkeypox can also spread when a person has close contact with a person infected with monkeypox virus or when a person comes in contact with materials that are contaminated with the virus.
As of November 28, 2022, there were 29,288 reported cases and 14 deaths in the U.S., 2,231 cases and 2 confirmed deaths in LA County. In response to the increasing numbers, LA County Public Health has made vaccination available to certain high-risk groups. To date, 73,025 first dose vaccines have been administered within the County.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. RECEIVE and FILE.
Body
III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
COVID-19 is a viral respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a novel coronavirus. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person-to-person. Some people without symptoms may spread the virus. The virus spreads mainly from person-to-person between people in proximity with one another (within about 6 feet) by aspiration of respiratory droplets by an infected person.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
City costs are either being covered by existing department appropriations or new appropriations from the General Fund. All costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic are being tracked separately by staff who will continue to pursue all available reimbursements for eligible City costs incurred from FEMA or other sources.
VI. EXHIBITS
N/A
Prepared by: Nora Garcia, Emergency Services Manager, and Roobik Galoosian, Risk Manager