By LILY TINOCO | Reporter
Los Angeles County is shifting its COVID-19 vaccination distribution strategy in hopes of increasing accessibility, according to information provided by Public Health.
Vaccination appointments at county-run sites became available for entire households living in a number of listed communities on the MyTurn website, and the state is slated to open vaccine appointments to individuals 16 and older starting Thursday, April 15—16- and 17-year-olds can only receive the Pfizer vaccine at this time.
The changes come as the state receives additional vaccine supply. As of Monday, April 12, over five million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in LA County. Of these, three million were first doses and more than 1.8 million were second doses, according to data from Public Health.
The county temporarily paused used of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine starting Tuesday, April 13, following FDA and CDC recommendation after reports that six women between the ages of 18 and 48 developed “unusual types of blood clots six to 13 days after receiving the vaccine,” Public Health reported.
“These reactions are extremely rare, as nearly 7 million people have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the United States to date,” a statement continued.
To date, Public Health reported that 56.2% of Pacific Palisades and 54.8% of Palisades Highlands residents have gotten at least one shot.
Public Health also announced changes to the Health Officer Order that will take effect on Thursday, April 15, regarding indoor live events and performances; private events such as conferences, receptions and meetings; and private informal gatherings.
Starting Thursday, indoor live events and performances will be permitted for in-state visitors only, private meetings will be permitted and outdoor private events are allowed with a maximum of 100 guests. Limits can increase if guests are tested or vaccinated, according to Public Health. Indoor private gatherings are permitted, but discouraged.
The county currently remains in the orange tier of the state’s reopening framework. To move to the less restrictive, subsequent yellow tier, the county’s case rate must be less than two new cases per 100,000 people and test positivity must be less than 2%.
The state announced plans to fully reopen on June 15 if there is enough vaccine supply, and hospitalizations rates remain stable and low.
As the Post went to print Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had reached 1,226,596 across the county when factoring in Long Beach and Pasadena, with 23,498 deaths. The county’s daily test positivity rate is 1.3%.
Pacific Palisades had reached 831 confirmed cases and 15 deaths Tuesday, with an additional 147 in Palisades Highlands and one death.
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