The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) announced Wednesday that 89% of skilled nursing facility residents across L.A. County are fully vaccinated. 

On Wednesday, skilled nursing facilities reported 96% of staff and 89% of residents are fully vaccinated, while 97% of these facilities continue to administer COVID-19 vaccination boosters across L.A. County. 

“I am grateful that nearly all skilled nursing facilities in the county will complete administering COVID-19 boosters to their eligible residents this week,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of Public Health. 

Nearly all skilled nursing facilities across L.A. County estimated that booster doses are expected to be completely administered by the end of this week to ensure their eligible residents and staff receive the utmost protection, according to Public Health. 

See Related: ​​COVID-19 Spread In Nursing Homes Leads To Los Angeles County Investigation 

“We know from experience that nursing home residents are among our most vulnerable people disproportionately affected by COVID-19,” Ferrer said. “Lives are saved by protecting those at elevated risk with vaccines and boosters, maintaining straightforward safety measures, and increasing vaccination coverage countywide.”

All staff at skilled nursing facilities are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they provide an approved medical or religious exemption and, in this case, are required to be tested weekly, according to Public Health. 

As of Nov. 12, 97% of skilled nursing facilities indicated that they are working to complete administering booster doses for residents by Friday, according to Public Health. 

Most skilled nursing facilities have established relationships with long-term care pharmacies that provide booster doses for eligible residents and Public Health continues to assess barriers and offer County mobile vaccine team assistance for the remaining facilities, according to Public Health. 

For the week ending Nov. 7, 39 people tested positive for COVID-19 at skilled nursing facilities with 20 new cases among skilled nursing facility residents and 19 among skilled nursing facility staff, according to Public Health. 

During the same week, four skilled nursing facility residents died from COVID-19, according to Public Health. 

Sixty-five percent of coronavirus cases the week of Nov. 7 were among fully-vaccinated staff and residents, according to Public Health. 

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On Wednesday, Public Health confirmed 22 new deaths and 1,284 new cases of COVID-19 across L.A County. Of the 22 deaths, six people who died were over the age of 80, seven people were between the ages of 65 and 79, six people were between the ages of 50 and 64 and three people were between the ages of 30 and 49. 

 To date, Public Health has identified 1,514,282 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 26,923 deaths.

As of Wednesday, Nov. 18, 36,024 cumulative cases have been reported in the Santa Clarita Valley since March of 2020, according to Public Health. These cases include:

• 28,268 in the City of Santa Clarita*
• 75 in the unincorporated areas of Bouquet Canyon
• 1,212 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country
• 4,603 in Castaic*
• 70 in the unincorporated areas of Newhall
• 5 in Placerita Canyon
• 22 in San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon
• 24 in unincorporated Sand Canyon
• 175 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus
• 55 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus/Canyon Country
• 1,846 in Stevenson Ranch
• 447 in the unincorporated areas of Val Verde
• 312 in the unincorporated areas of Valencia

There are 640 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized across L.A. County and 25% of these people are in the ICU. Testing results are available for nearly 9,280,000 individuals, with 15% of people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 1.2%.

Anyone five years and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status. Appointments are not needed at all Public Health vaccination sites where first, second, and third doses are available.

To find a vaccination site near you, make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over 65, you can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or scheduling a home-visit if you are homebound.

COVID-19 Sector Protocols, Best Practices, COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Recovery Dashboard, and additional actions you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

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