Since California reopened the state has seen a steady increase in COVID-19 cases, mostly among unvaccinated people. The rate of infections in Long Beach has risen significantly in the last two weeks, with the average number of new cases per day rising by 288%, from 17 to 66.
Currently, 3.8% of COVID-19 tests come back positive, according to the Long Beach Health and Human Services Department.
There is currently a case rate of 7.5%, representing the amount of new cases per 100,000 people. This is the highest case rate since April 4, 2021.
According to a press release by the City of Long Beach, a variety of factors are believed to have contributed to the rise in cases:
- The delta variant is now in Southern California. This variant is much more highly transmissible. Whereas the average person with the original strain of COVID-19 would infect 2.5 others, on average, in the same environment, a person infected with the delta variant could infect nearly seven other people.
- Vaccines against COVID-19 are highly effective, but as this highly-transmissible new variant takes hold among unvaccinated people more breakthrough cases are occurring.
Vaccines are effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 as well as severe disease, hospitalizations and deaths caused by the disease.
Last month, 84% of new COVID-19 cases were contracted by people who hadn’t been vaccinated.
Hospitalizations are comparatively low in Long Beach right now, with 14 residents hospitalized. 12 out of the 14 people hospitalized for COVID-19 were not vaccinated.
The Health and Human Services Department is closely keeping track of hospitalization rates in the City.
When people are hospitalized, it usually occurs two weeks after they were infected.
The rate of people who became infected with COVID-19 after being vaccinated is very low, with a rate of 0.05% since January 2021. Vaccinated people who become infected usually have minor or no symptoms.
“There is a common misconception when it comes to vaccines, from measles to COVID-19, that the vaccine protects you 100%, and cases of vaccine-preventable diseases never occur in vaccinated people,” City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis said. “But this is not the way it works. No vaccine works 100%. There’s always a small chance that you can get an infection, even if you’re vaccinated. The reason why we’re seeing cases of COVID-19 in vaccinated people isn’t because the vaccine doesn’t work. It’s because there’s just so much of it around in the community.”
As new variants appear in Southern California, the State recommends that everyone, vaccinated or not, continue to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible, and when they don’t know if the people around them are vaccinated.
According to a City press release, data shows differences in case rates between racial groups, as well as an increase in cases in children, including children who are too young to be vaccinated:
- While 13% of the total Long Beach population is Black, Black residents are overrepresented in terms of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Since June 15, 17% of cases and 27% of hospitalizations were among Black residents.
- Most new COVID-19 cases (88%) are among adults 18 or older. However, 11.6% of recent cases have occurred among children, and 7.1% of cases have occurred in people younger than 12, who are not yet eligible for the vaccine.
- Since June 15, 13.6% of hospitalizations have occurred among those under 18.
- Vaccine rates also show racial discrepancies: 43% of the city’s Black community and 55% of the city’s Latino community are vaccinated compared to more than 65% for other community members.
“We are only 47 days away from the first day of school here in Long Beach,” Health and Human Services Director Kelly Colopy said. “About 70,000 students attend school in the Long Beach Unified School District. Right now, only 40% of people ages 12 to 17 have been vaccinated. In order to protect kids as they return to school in person, we must make sure everyone 12 years old and older is vaccinated.”
The Health Department is working to make sure everyone who wants a vaccines can get one. A full schedule of vaccine clinics within Long Beach can be found on the City’s website.
Clinics scheduled for the next week (Thursday, July 15 through Wednesday, July 21) are listed below:
Thursday, July 15:
- Heartwell Park (5801 E. Parkcrest St.), 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Bixby Knolls Farmers’ Market (CVS Parking Lot, 4570 Atlantic Ave.), 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Long Beach Convention Center (300 E. Ocean Blvd.), noon to 6 p.m.
- Long Beach City College, Pacific Coast Campus (Corner of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, Parking Lot One), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday, July 16:
- Granada Beach (5000 E. Ocean Blvd.), 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- MacArthur Park (1321 E. Anaheim St.), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Long Beach Convention Center (300 E. Ocean Blvd.), 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Long Beach City College, Pacific Coast Campus (Corner of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, Parking Lot One), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 17:
- Cabrillo High School (2001 Santa Fe Ave.), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Recreation Park (4900 E. 7th St.), 9:30 a.m. to noon
- Long Beach Convention Center (300 E. Ocean Blvd.), 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday, July 19:
- Seaside Park (1401 Chestnut Ave.), 10 a.m. to noon
- Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.), 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Long Beach City College, Pacific Coast Campus (Corner of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, Parking Lot One), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 20:
Tuesday, July 20:
- Granada Beach (5000 E. Ocean Blvd.), 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- MacArthur Park (1321 E. Anaheim St.), 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Long Beach Convention Center (300 E. Ocean Blvd.), noon to 5 p.m. (walk-up only)
- Long Beach City College, Pacific Coast Campus (Corner of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, Parking Lot One), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, July 21:
- Colorado Lagoon (5200 E. Eliot St.), 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.), 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Second Street (5200 E. 2nd St.), 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Long Beach Convention Center (300 E. Ocean Blvd.), noon to 5 p.m. (walk-up only)
- Long Beach City College, Pacific Coast Campus (Corner of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, Parking Lot One), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information about when and where they can get vaccinated, people can visit longbeach.gov/vaxlb, email Covid19Vaccine@longbeach.gov or call 562.570.INFO.
Appointments are not necessary, but can be made online through the State’s vaccination portal, MyTurn.ca.gov, or by calling the Vaccine Information Line at 562.570.4636.
Many drugstores, doctor’s offices and pharmacies within Long Beach also carry the vaccine. All COVID-19 vaccines have been provided by the federal government, and are free of charge. No identification is needed to receive a vaccine.
