City Of West Hollywood Coronavirus Update: LA County Announcement

Press release from the City of West Hollywood:

January 21, 2021

Residents in this age group should visit www.VaccinateLACounty.com to schedule appointments, which began on Wednesday, January 20, 2021. Residents who do not have computer access may call (833) 540-0473 between 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. for assistance.

The vaccine supply is still extremely limited, and Los Angeles County continues to urge patience as it works urgently with federal and state partners to expand capacity and supply in the weeks ahead. The vaccine will be offered to different groups of people at different times. When enough vaccine is ready, it will be offered to the general population.

“Getting vaccinated is a critical step in protecting one another, safeguarding our communities, and getting back to normal,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey P. Horvath. “Our Public Health officials are working around the clock to get as many vaccines out as quickly as possible, and I urge all of us to be patient during this process. I’m thrilled that the County has announced that eligibility is expanded beyond healthcare workers and skilled nursing/long-term care facilities, so that people who are 65 and older in our communities can get the vaccine. We know that COVID-19 can be significantly more severe, even deadlier, for seniors. Please, if you are eligible to receive the COVID-19, do so as soon as possible to help protect yourself and your loved ones.”

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been shown to be safe and very effective in large studies that involved a diverse mix of people. These vaccines prevented 95 percent of cases of COVID-19 disease. Children will not be offered vaccine in the near future. The Pfizer vaccine has only been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people age 16 and over and the Moderna vaccine is only authorized for people age 18 and over.

While the vaccine stops people from getting sick, it is not yet clear if it stops people from spreading COVID-19 to other people. It is also not yet known how long people will be immune. So, everyone must still wear a face covering, maintain physical distance, and avoid gathering outside of households.

To ensure that people at higher risk of transmission and illness are vaccinated first, Los Angeles County has established a phased system:

Phase 1A — Los Angeles County is currently in Phase 1A and the following groups are now being offered vaccine:

• Frontline Healthcare Workers

• Staff & Residents at Skilled Nursing Facilities

• Staff & Residents at Long-Term Care Facilities

Phase 1B, Tier 1 — Los Angeles County is also actively vaccinating in Phase 1B, Tier 1, which means:

• All people age 65 and over are now eligible for vaccination.

Phase 1B, Tier 2 — The estimated timeline for the next phase, Phase 1B, Tier 2 is February 2021, which will include:

• Those at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors: transportation and logistics; industrial, commercial, residential, and sheltering facilities and services; and critical manufacturing.

• Those in congregate settings with outbreak risk including people who are incarcerated and people who are experiencing homelessness.

Phase 1C — Vaccines are not yet available to persons listed in Phase 1C, which is estimated to be in March 2021. Prioritization in this phase will include people 50 to 64 years of age and people 16 to 49 years of age who have an underlying health condition or disability, which increases their risk of severe COVID-19, as well as those at risk of exposure at work in certain sectors.

For details about phases, visit the LA County Public Health website at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/covidvaccinedistribution.

To provide the ability to accommodate large capacities of people, Los Angeles County has opened five large-capacity vaccination sites, chosen for their regional accessibility: Pomona Fairplex; The Forum; California State University, Northridge; L.A. County Office of Education in Downey; and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Each site will be able to vaccinate approximately 4,000 people per day at each site. In addition, more than 75 pharmacies have registered to provide vaccinations, and Los Angeles County will continue to add more.

Vaccinations are free, and available to all who are eligible as determined by phase, regardless of immigration status or insurance coverage. For those who have insurance, coverage information may be requested as part of the appointment scheduling process.

For up-to-date information about Los Angeles County’s vaccine program, visit www.VaccinateLACounty.com. Los Angeles County residents may also call toll-free (833) 540-0473 between 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. seven days a week.

For answers to Frequently Asked Questions from LA County Public Health, visit: www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/about/FAQ-Vaccine.pdf.

The City of West Hollywood has declared a local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Individuals are advised, at this time, to stay at home as much as possible and limit close interactions to those in your household. When in public for essential needs, community members should maintain your space with social (physical) distancing of at least six feet, and cover your face. Public Health officials recommend that everyone continue to follow physical distancing and infection control directives and wear a clean face covering that securely covers both your nose and mouth when in in public. Additionally, people 65 years old or older and all people of any age with underlying health conditions should remain at home whenever possible; people in these categories should only leave their residences to seek medical care, exercise, or obtain food or other necessities.

West Hollywood City Hall is currently closed to the public and has suspended all in-person transactions. Most public City buildings, playgrounds, and facilities remain closed. City Hall remains accessible for business and essential services with transactions to be conducted by phone (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website at www.weho.org.

City of West Hollywood coronavirus updates are available at www.weho.org/coronavirus and the City encourages community members to follow @wehocity on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram and turn on notifications for up-to-date information.

To view essential-business City meetings, tune in to WeHoTV at:

• www.weho.org/wehotv

Meetings can also be accessed via:

• www.youtube.com/wehotv

• Spectrum Channel 10 (in West Hollywood)

• SmartTV Apps: AndroidTV; AppleTV; FireTV; and Roku

For notifications by email, subscribe to the City’s E-Notifications at www.weho.org/email. Visit the City’s event and meetings calendar at www.weho.org/calendar and news archive at www.weho.org/news.

To receive urgent updates to your phone by text and to your email, text your ZIP code to 888-777.

For updates and information about the current numbers of COVID-19 cases in the United States, in the State of California, and in Los Angeles County, visit:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

• California Department of Public Health (CDPH) www.cdph.ca.gov and covid19.ca.gov

• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus

This press release was produced by the City of West Hollywood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.