COVID-19 UPDATES – 8/2/2021 - REVISED COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER ORDER FOR UNIVERSAL INDOOR MASKING, SM-MUSD MEETING ON STUDY OPTIONS, LADPH MEETING ON COVID-19 SCHOOL SAFETY, VACCINATION LOCATIONS
REVISED COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER ORDER FOR UNIVERSAL INDOOR MASKING As Of August 1
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) revised its LA County Health Officer Order (HOO) effective Sunday, August 1, 2021. Changes are highlighted in yellow. The revisions align with the July 26, 2021 State Public Health Officer Order, which mandates specific public health requirements regarding worker vaccine status, respirators or masks, and testing requirements for high-risk healthcare settings.
LADPH reiterates that, because LA County is currently experiencing high rates of COVID-19 community transmission, all persons, in indoor public and business settings, must wear a face mask regardless of vaccination status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and California Department of Public Health also each issued new guidance validating universal indoor masking, citing evidence suggesting that fully vaccinated people who do become infected with the Delta variant can spread the virus to others. Universal indoor masking adds an extra precautionary measure for all to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, especially in communities currently seeing the highest rates of transmission. According to LADPH, COVID-19 daily cases are now increasing: there was a 740% increase over the last month; on July 29 alone, LA County reported 3,248 new cases, a 17% increase over the previous week; and the test positivity rate and hospitalizations have also dramatically increased. According to LADPH, the Delta variant, which is twice as contagious as earlier COVID-19 variants, is now predominant in the County. The revised HOO and current protocols in multiple languages are available on the LADPH website.
SM-MUSD VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING ABOUT FALL REOPENING, IN-PERSON AND INDEPENDENT STUDY OPTIONS – AUGUST 3
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SM-MUSD) Superintendent Dr. Ben Drati and Board of Education present a virtual public meeting about fall reopening solutions and in-person and independent study options Tuesday, August 3, 6:00 PM via Zoom. Speakers include Dr. Jamie Lloyd-Smith, UCLA Professor, Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Studying COVID-19 Aerosol and Surface Stability, Dr. Jamie Lloyd-Smith, UCLA Professor, Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Studying COVID-19 Aerosol and Surface Stability, Dr. Will Nicholas, Director, Center for Health Impact Evaluation, LA County Department of Public Health. Simultaneous Spanish translation available. Zoom link. Dial in: 720-707-2699 / ID: 874 4391 5002.
VIRTUAL TOWN HALL ON COVID-19 SCHOOL SAFETY – AUGUST 4
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will hold a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the latest updates on schools on Wednesday, August 4, 6:00 PM. Join representatives from the Los Angeles Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles County Office of Education for a town hall on how schools are preventing the spread of COVID-19 and keeping everyone safe. Watch live or in replay later on the LADPH social media accounts at https://www.facebook.com/lapublichealth, https://twitter.com/lapublichealth, https://www.youtube.com/c/lapublichealth/videos. To submit questions during the event, visit http://tinyurl.com/lacschoolstownhall.
COVID-19 VACCINATION LOCATIONS IN THE MALIBU AREA
There are several locations in and nearby Malibu where residents can get a free COVID-19 vaccination. Visit the LADPH website the LADPH vaccination webpage to find a location. You request an in-home vaccination online or by phone at 833-540-0473, seven days a week, 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM. The LADPH can arrange in-home vaccination, free transportation to a vaccination site, or help with paratransit and other services for people with disabilities. Information is also available by phone in multiple languages 24/7 by calling 2-1-1.
CVS - 23841 Malibu Road, Malibu, CA 90265. Schedule an appointment - https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine or call 310-456-9645
Rite Aid Pharmacy - 5747 Kanan Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301. Schedule an appointment - https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier or call 818-991-5258
Kramers Pharmacy - 29525 Canwood Street, Agoura Hills, CA 91301. Schedule an appointment - https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22684461 or call 818-706-8099
CVS - 30740 Russell Ranch Road, Westlake Village, CA 91362. Schedule an appointment - https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine - or call 818-661-2632
CVS - 5623 Kanan Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301. Schedule an appointment - https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine - or call 818-991-5522
CVS - 30740 Russell Ranch Road, Westlake Village, CA 91362. Schedule an appointment - https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine - or call 818-661-2632
Costco Pharmacy - 5700 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village, CA 91362. Schedule an appointment - https://www.costco.com/covid-vaccine.html - or call 818-597-3904
Kanan Pharmacy and Medical Supplies - 5847 Kanan Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301. Schedule an appointment - https://kananpharmacyvaccineappointmentcalendar.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php – or call 818-889-3070
Albertsons Pharmacy - 26521 Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302. Schedule an appointment - https://mhealthcheckin.com/covidvaccine?clientId=1610389543822®ion=California_-_San_Diego_3&urlId=%2Fvcl%2F1610389543822 - or call 818-880-8807
7/28/21 - COVID-19 SCHOOLS UPDATE – REOPENING PROTOCOLS FOR K-12 SCHOOLS
REOPENING PROTOCOLS FOR K-12 SCHOOLS
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued Reopening Protocols for K-12 Schools: Appendix T1 (Rev. 7/28/21) updates, highlighted in yellow.
- Reaffirms indoor masking requirement for everyone at K-12 schools regardless of vaccination status; customary exceptions apply.
- Revised testing recommendations to include vaccinated individuals after COVID-19 exposure and in surveillance testing programs, if testing capacity allows.
- In alignment with current Health Officer Order, employees exempt from wearing masks indoors must be tested at least twice per week.
- Clarified that mask is not required when individual is the only person present in a room or contiguous workspace.
- Confirms at this time, students granted a reasonable accommodation in the form of mask exemption due to a disability or other condition need not be excluded from in-person education. Strongly recommended that such students be tested for COVID019 at least twice weekly.
- Students who are excluded from campus because they will not wear a face covering should be offered alternative educational opportunities.
- Clarifies that physical distancing strategies are still recommended as long as they do not interfere with full-time attendance for all students.
- PE classes falls under the 100% masking requirement if class is held indoors.
- Updated exposure guideline to note that fully vaccinated individuals who are close contacts to a case do not need to quarantine but it is strongly recommended that such individuals be tested after exposure regardless of vaccination status.
Other pertinent information and resources can be found on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health COVID-19 webpage.