Hospital intensive care units in the Los Angeles area have been full for weeks, with health workers struggling to treat an overwhelming number of COVID-19 patients.
The holiday season, with its travels and gatherings, was seen as an important factor in growth in early January.
This increase is now declining, although cases, deaths and hospitalizations remain higher than during last summer’s increase.
Health experts express cautious optimism – noting that the public must still take major precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
“We are in a very good time right now,” said Dr. Anthony Cardillo, CEO of Mend Urgent Care. “We don’t want to see an inflection going in the wrong direction.”
The distribution of the vaccine will probably also begin to help reduce new infections. Thousands of photos are taken at Dodger Stadium and other locations in the county.
The vaccination process began with those who face the most potential exposure to the virus and those most at risk of developing severe symptoms.
“We know that now that we have vaccinated health care providers, the nursing home population and thousands of people over the age of 65 who have started receiving the vaccination sequence, we are seeing these results right now,” Cardillo said. “And that really helps contribute to this decline.”
With the improvement of home stay orders in California, restaurants are reopening for al fresco dining, but health officials say people should only dine with family members and others living in the same household.
And I remind everyone to stay vigilant.
“We need to maintain our sensitivity and common sense of what really decreases the transmission of this virus.”
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