LOS ANGELES (KABC) — COVID-19 The virus continues to mutate, making us all more susceptible to infection, and new data shows just that.
According to the CDC, California’s wastewater has reached “very high” levels of COVID virus activity for the first time since last winter, with “very high” levels also recorded in Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon and Texas.
Los Angeles County Health Commissioner Dr. Barbara Ferrer said similar data is being found specifically in Los Angeles County.
“The number of deaths has stabilized at about one per day, but there are exceptions,” Dr. Ferrer said. “All the other metrics for us, the number of cases, the number of hospitalizations, the amount of wastewater, have doubled in the last month.”
Feller said: New FLiRT variants of COVID-19Although members of the public are more likely to get sick and spread the disease to others, vaccination remains the most powerful means of preventing severe illness.
She said everyone over the age of six months would be asked to get a new vaccine in the autumn, one that will aim to protect us against the latest variants.
“But that doesn’t apply to people over 65 or other high-risk individuals,” Ferrer said. “Those individuals can get the current vaccine now and then get another dose of the new vaccine in the fall.”
Ferrer said this marks the fifth summer we’ve seen a surge in COVID-19 cases, but the biggest difference now is that we have better ways to fight it.
She says people should consider wearing a mask during this time if they are traveling or around large groups of people, and remember to wash their hands, especially before eating.
We’ve been in this situation before, and we have great tools to protect ourselves.
“We’ve been in similar situations before, and we have great tools to protect ourselves,” Ferrer said. “Common sense precautions make a big difference, especially since some people can still get seriously ill, so let’s do everything we can to protect them.”
Ferrer said it’s important to know your status, especially if you’re at higher risk. There are still places around the county where you can get free COVID resources. That information can be found at ph.lacounty.gov.
more: What you need to know about the emerging ‘FLiRT’ COVID-19 variant
Health officials are tracking the so-called “FLiRT” COVID-19 variants that are rising in the United States and causing an increase in hospitalizations in the United Kingdom.
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