LA County nursing facilities nearly done with COVID boosters for residents

With the county urging residents to get COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, health officials said skilled nursing facilities have nearly completed administration of boosters to residents.

According to the county Department of Public Health, 97% of skilled nursing homes have reported that they will finish administration of booster shots to residents by Friday. County officials said Wednesday they are working with the remaining facilities to ensure residents have access to the shots.

“I am grateful that nearly all skilled nursing facilities in the county will complete administering COVID-19 boosters to their eligible residents this week,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “We know from experience that nursing home residents are among our most vulnerable people disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Lives are saved by protecting those at elevated risk with vaccines and boosters, maintaining straightforward safety measures and increasing vaccination coverage countywide.”

According to the county, 96% of skilled nursing facility staffers and 89% of residents are fully vaccinated. All staff are required to be vaccinated, but those with approved exemptions must be tested weekly.

The county reported another 22 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, raising the overall death toll to 26,923.

Another 1,284 cases were also reported, giving the county a cumulative total from throughout the pandemic of 1,514,282. The number of COVID- positive patients in Los Angeles County dropped after two days of back-to-back increases.

According to state figures, there were 616 COVID-positive patients being treated in county hospitals as of Wednesday, down from 640 on Tuesday. Of those hospitalized, 155 were in intensive care, down from 162.

The daily rolling average rate of people testing positive for the virus was 1.2% as of Wednesday, a number that has generally held steady.

As of last week, 81% of county residents aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, and 73% are fully vaccinated. Of the county’s overall 10.3 million population, 70% have received at least one dose, and 63% are fully vaccinated.

Of the more than 5.9 million fully vaccinated people in the county, 72,163 have subsequently tested positive, for a rate of 1.22%, according to the county. A total of 2,424 vaccinated people have been hospitalized, for a rate of 0.041%, and 396 have died, a rate of 0.007%.

More from Health