California lifted its health restrictions last month after a successful vaccine rollout and associated dip in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. But now a new variant of the virus is causing a surge in positive tests.
“COVID continues to be a serious health concern for all of us,” Signal Hill City Manager Hannah Shin-Heydorn said during the July 13 City Council meeting.
According to the CDC, viruses constantly change through mutation. The Delta variant, as the latest widespread mutation is called, appeared in the U.S. in March, having first emerged in India earlier this year.
The CDC tweeted on July 14 that the seven-day average of new cases increased nearly 66% over the prior week. It advises everyone to get fully vaccinated.
Nearly 90% of seniors and nearly 70% of those 16 and older in L.A. County have received at least one dose of the vaccine, Shin-Heydorn said.
However, only 77% of seniors and 61% of all L.A. County adults have received both doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that require two doses for full protection, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health (LACDPH). Though 10.7 million first doses have been administered, only 4.8 million second doses have—a gap of 6 million.
Shin-Heydorn said that in Signal Hill, 89.4% of seniors and 72% of those 16 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Signal Hill has seen 1,150 confirmed cases since April 2020—or about 10% of the 11,700 population—with five additional cases added since last month, Shin-Heydorn said. Eight residents have died of COVID-19 since last year.
Countywide new cases jumped by 1,100 on July 13 alone, representing a 500% increase since June, Shin Heydorn said.
“A lot of this has to do with the Delta variant,” she added.
Delta spreads faster and is currently the most common variant across the U.S. and L.A. County, Shin-Heydorn said.
“These variants are a serious threat to adults who are not fully vaccinated, especially those who are high-risk,” LACDPH states on its variant fact sheet. “The Delta variant is concerning because it seems to be spreading much more easily than the original virus and other variants. It may also cause more severe infections, including those that lead to hospitalization.”
Shin-Heydorn advised residents to do their part in slowing the spread by following the “simple steps” of getting vaccinated, wearing masks and frequently washing hands or using hand sanitizer.
“All three vaccines used in the U.S. are highly effective against the variant,” she said, citing the CDC. “There are so many options now to get your vaccine.”
She also advised residents not fully vaccinated to consider wearing two masks or a N95 or KN95 mask, especially indoors or in a crowded outdoor setting, and to make sure they are worn properly.
“It gets progressively less risky the more we take advantage of those safety precautions such as wearing masks and practicing physical distancing,” she said.
Mayor Edward Wilson noted that there have been over 1,000 new COVID-19 cases countywide per day over the past five days. Hospitalization rates have also increased proportionally, according to LACDPH.
“The trend is up,” Wilson said. “And it’s up significantly.”
A list of Long Beach’s vaccination sites is available here.
