In Los Angeles County, “2 weeks to flatten the curve” may turn into 2 years.
The combination of policies that have been largely ineffective against an airborne virus likely engineered to adhere to the human respiratory system, a new variant that has become more transmissible, and an steep rises in cases, Los Angeles County health officials are doubling down on their failures.
As an unprecedented wave of coronavirus infections washes over the region, Los Angeles County health officials are urging residents to postpone nonessential gatherings and avoid some activities — especially those with people who are unmasked, unvaccinated or at higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness.The ask comes just ahead of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend. The Lunar New Year is also right around the corner on Feb. 1, and the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood is a month away.Speaking to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledged that “this is not the start to the new year we had all envisioned.”But given the state of the pandemic, health officials are “asking that, over the next few weeks, we all try to avoid nonessential activities where people are unmasked and in close contact with others,” she said.
Ferrer is now emphasizing “high quality masks” as if they will be help contain the spread. There was an acknowledgment that the vaccinated and the boosted should also be following these rules.
“While we’re in the surge, we do ask that you exercise more caution, even if you’re vaccinated and boosted,” Ferrer said. “One way to reduce transmission is to wear a high-quality mask whenever you’re around non- household members…We’re also asking that over the next few weeks, we all try to avoid non-essential activities where people are unmasked and in close contact with others.“We know how important getting together with friends is to our wellbeing. We need to be sure we’re able to keep each other safe. The reality is that parties and events — especially those indoors with unvaccinated individuals or those at high risk for severe illness — make it very easy for this virus to spread. Limiting our time with others to those more essential work-related or school-related activities is a prudent action for everyone to take whenever possible.”
On the positive note, there is a recognition by the Los Angeles officials that Omicron is a milder variant. Additionally, there the numbers of people hospitalized with COVID is separated from those getting treatment because of the infection.
Dr. Christina Ghaly, the county’s health services director, said that despite rising patient numbers, the Omicron-fueled surge is playing out differently in hospitals than earlier surges. She said last fall, about one-third of COVID patients wound up in ICU care, but that number is only about 10% to 15% this time around, at least in the four county-operated hospitals, which likely reflect conditions in other medical centers.She also said that about 40% of COVID-positive patients at the county hospitals were admitted specifically because of the virus, while the rest only learned they were infected upon admission for something else. During the last surge, 80% to 90% of the COVID patients were admitted due to virus-related illness.
There are reports that the NFL is looking into emergency sites for Super Bowl 2022, schedule to take place at LI’s SoFo stadium on February 13. Perhaps the desire to keep event in the city is halting the lockdown mania the region has experienced almost continuously since March of 2020?
California officials say they have no intention of losing Super Bowl LVI despite reports that the NFL is looking into contingency sites amid the city’s coronavirus surge.The Super Bowl is scheduled to take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, on Feb. 13. But reports came out Wednesday that other sites, including AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas, were being contacted about their potential availability.AT&T Stadium, which is home to the Dallas Cowboys, did in fact host the Rose Bowl in 2021, after COVID-19 restrictions forced it to move from Pasadena.But, at least for now, fans are being told to stay calm and plan on a great Super Bowl, in Los Angeles.
However, after the game ends, who knows what policy failure they will expand upon!
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY