Latest news with #LP.8.1
Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Symptom that hits '3 times in 24 hours' could signal Covid
The latest figures also highlighted two of the most dominant Covid variants at the moment People should stay vigilant for signs of COVID-19 as there's been a marginal uptick in cases across the UK. Government data reveals that in the week up to June 15, there has been an increase in the number of confirmed Covid infections in England. This included people in hospital who were given PCR tests. Hospital admissions due to coronavirus also increased slightly compared to the previous week. The predominant strains circulating during that time were identified as LP. 8.1.1 and XFG, each contributing to 19.87 per cent of the reported cases. Also present was the "Nimbus" strain or NB.1.8.1, representing 3.97 per cent of infections. LP. 8.1.1 evolved from LP. 8.1 which itself is a descendant of Omicron, with the original LP.8.1 having surfaced in July 2024 and later categorised as a "variant under monitoring" by WHO in January. Symptoms Currently, it remains uncertain whether LP. 8.1.1 triggers specific symptoms distinctive from other strains. Thomas Jeffries, a senior microbiology lecturer at Western Sydney University, observed that LP.8.1 does not seem to be responsible for exceptionally severe symptoms. Writing for The Conversation, he said: "Notably, the symptoms of LP.8.1 don't appear to be any more severe than other circulating strains. And the WHO has evaluated the additional public health risk LP.8.1 poses at a global level to be low. "What's more, LP.8.1 remains a variant under monitoring, rather than a variant of interest or a variant of concern. In other words, these changes to the virus with LP.8.1 are small, and not likely to make a big difference to the trajectory of the pandemic." However, according to the NHS, one definitive symptom of Covid is a new or persistent cough, which may involve three or more "coughing episodes" in 24 hours. Other indicators on the list are: A high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature) A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste Shortness of breath Feeling tired or exhausted An aching body A headache A sore throat A blocked or runny nose Loss of appetite Diarrhoea Feeling sick or being sick. The NHS guidance for those with symptoms of Covid suggests self-isolation until recovery. For those who receive a positive Covid test result, the NHS advocates staying home and away from others for five days, although it's not legally required. Further analysis of recent Covid statistics reveals that the weekly mean positivity rate for PCR tests in English hospitals was up slightly at 6.6 per cent for the week leading up to June 15, compared to 6.2 per cent in the prior week. The total weekly hospital admission rate for COVID-19 saw a slight rise to 1.53 per 100,000 from the previous week's 1.44 per 100,000. However, the overall rate of COVID-19 patients in ICU or HDU remained steady at 0.04 per 100,000, mirroring the previous week's figure.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
'Razor blade throat': What to know about COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1
'Razor blade throat': What to know about COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 Show Caption Hide Caption COVID variant brings 'razor blade throat' to California A new COVID variant is causing people to experience such severe sore throats that they say it feels like swallowing razor blades. Scripps News - KGTV San Diego A painful sore throat, often referred to as "razor blade throat", is just one of the symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant. This variant is currently being monitored by the World Health Organization. "Considering the available evidence, the additional public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level," the WHO stated in a report. "Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease." In May, the WHO released a report stating it was monitoring the variant, but the variant is spreading quickly, according to the university. The new COVID-19 variant was first detected in China in January. What is NB.1.8.1? NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a "slightly upgraded version" of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, said Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Verma previously said NB.1.8.1 may be able to be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he said that NB.1.8.1 is able to evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1. "NB.1.8.1 is likely to spread more rapidly and evade our immune defenses more easily than LP.8.1, which is why this variant requires careful monitoring," Verma said. USA TODAY has reached out to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information on the variant. What is 'razor blade throat?' An extremely sore throat, or "razor blade throat", is a symptom that's currently being associated with the new variant. People with the variant are saying that it feels their throats are covered with razor blades, according to Los Angeles Times, Fox News, SF Gate, and other news outlets. Many people have also taken to social media to describe the "razor blade throat". It isn't the first time a symptom like this has been described. With other strains, people said their throats felt like they had shards of glass jutting out, due to the extreme pain of their sore throats. This symptom, however, is gaining more popularity as the COVID-19 variant spreads. What are the symptoms of NB.1.8.1? The CDC has not outlined symptoms that are specific to the NB.1.8.1. variant. Verma said that NB.1.8.1 symptoms appear similar to those of earlier COVID-19 variants. The CDC outlines the following as common COVID-19 symptoms: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Sore throat Congestion or a runny nose New loss of taste or smell Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache Nausea or vomiting The CDC advises seeking medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms: Trouble breathing Persistent pain or pressure in the chest New confusion Inability to wake or stay awake Depending on skin tone, lips, nail beds and skin may appear pale, gray or blue How can you protect yourself from NB.1.8.1 and other variants? The World Health Organization states that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against the NB.1.8.1 variant. In a webpage dated Jan. 7, 2025, the CDC advises that everyone over the age of six months get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, specifically the 2024-2025 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. It also suggests people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, are age 65 and older, are immunocompromised, live at a long-term care facility, are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, and/or want to avoid getting long COVID, should get the vaccine, especially. However, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently recommended changes to COVID vaccinations. On May 27, Kennedy said the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the CDC's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. And on May 20, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it plans to require new clinical trials for approval of the annual COVID-19 boosters for healthy individuals under the age of 65. This could mean that some who still wish to receive the vaccine may have to pay out of pocket. What is a COVID-19 booster shot? Updated and annual COVID-19 vaccines are actually not "booster shots." Boosters are additional doses of the same vaccine that are needed to maintain immunity, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Updated vaccines protect against new variants of a virus, like NB.1.8.1. RFK Jr. says COVID-19 vaccine no longer recommended for some The COVID-19 vaccine is no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says. How to (still) get a COVID-19 test for free Increasing Community Access to Testing, Treatment and Response (ICATT), a federal program, continues to provide free COVID-19 testing to individuals without health insurance. According to the CDC, as of May 27, more than 19,000 locations across the country offer free testing. To find a location near you that offers free testing, visit Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Health
- Toronto Star
The ‘razor blade' sore throat: What to know about the new COVID-19 variant that's spreading
A new COVID-19 variant was this week expected to become the dominant strain in Ontario, after circulating in parts of the world including our neighbours to the south. The new variant, part of the Omicron subfamily, is called NB.1.8.1 and it is derived from the recombinant variant XDV.1.5.1, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with cases detected globally as the previous dominant COVID-19 strain, LP.8.1, starts to decline.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
COVID 'razor blade throat' rises as new subvariant spreads in California
COVID-19 appears to be on the rise in some parts of California as a new, highly contagious subvariant — featuring "razor blade throat" symptoms overseas — is becoming increasingly dominant. Nicknamed "Nimbus," the new subvariant NB.1.8.1 has been described in news reports in China as having more obvious signs of "razor blade throat" — what patients describe as feeling like their throats are studded with razor blades. Although "razor blade throat" may seem like a new term, the description of incredibly painful sore throats associated with COVID-19 has emerged before in the United States, like having a throat that feels like it's covered with shards of glass. But the increased attention to this symptom comes as the Nimbus subvariant has caused surges of COVID-19 in other countries. "Before Omicron, I think most people presented with the usual loss of taste and smell as the predominant symptom and shortness of breath," said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert. But as COVID has become less likely to require hospitalization, "people are focusing on these other aspects of symptoms," such as an extraordinarily painful sore throat. Part of the Omicron family, Nimbus is now one of the most dominant coronavirus subvariants nationally. For the two-week period that ended June 7, Nimbus comprised an estimated 37% of the nation's coronavirus samples, now roughly even with the subvariant LP.8.1, probably responsible for 38% of circulating virus. LP.8.1 has been dominant over the past few months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more: A new COVID subvariant spreads rapidly as Trump pivots away from vaccines The Nimbus subvariant has also been increasing since May in California, the state Department of Public Health said in an email to the Los Angeles Times. Projections suggest the Nimbus subvariant comprises 55% of circulating virus in California, up from observations of just 2% in April, the agency said Friday. "We are seeing some indicators of increased COVID-19 activity, including the rise of the NB.1.8.1 variant, elevated coronavirus levels in wastewater, and an uptick in the test positivity rate," Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, wrote in an email to The Times. "Wastewater surveillance across Southern California shows variability: Santa Barbara watersheds are reporting moderate-to-high levels, Ventura and Los Angeles counties are seeing low-to-moderate levels, Riverside is reporting low levels, while San Bernardino is experiencing high activity," Hudson said. Read more: RFK Jr. kept asking to see the science that vaccines were safe. After he saw it, he dismissed it While viral concentrations remain relatively low, Los Angeles County has observed an increase in coronavirus levels in sewage, the local Department of Public Health told The Times. For the week that ended May 30 — the most recent available — viral levels in wastewater rose by 13% versus a comparable period several weeks earlier. In addition, there is a slight increase in the rate in which COVID surveillance tests are turning up positive in L.A. County. For the most recent week, 5% of COVID surveillance tests showed positive results for infection, up from 3.8% in early May. COVID-related visits to the emergency room remain low in Los Angeles County. Read more: Trump administration cancels $766-million Moderna contract to fight pandemic flu There were still low rates of COVID-19 illness in San Francisco, the local Department of Public Health said. Yet coronavirus levels in wastewater in Northern California's most populous county, Santa Clara County, are starting to increase, "just as they have over past summers," the local Public Health Department said in an email to The Times. As of Friday, coronavirus levels in the sewershed of San José was considered "high." Viral levels were "medium" in Palo Alto and "low" in Sunnyvale. Nimbus is the most common subvariant in the county. Across California, coronavirus levels in wastewater are at a "medium" level; the last time viral levels were consistently "low" was in April, according to the state Department of Public Health's website. "Future seasonal increases in disease levels are likely," the California Department of Public Health said in an email to The Times Friday. The uptick in COVID comes as many medical professional organizations and some state and local health officials are objecting to the Trump administration's recent moves on vaccine policy, which some experts fear will make it more difficult for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and other diseases. Read more: U.S. just radically changed its COVID vaccine recommendations: How will it affect you? Federal officials in May weakened the CDC's official recommendations from recommending the COVID vaccine to everyone age 6 months and up. The CDC now offers "no guidance" on whether healthy pregnant women should get the COVID vaccine, and now asks that parents of healthy children talk with a healthcare provider before asking that their kids get inoculated. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a rebuke of the changing vaccine recommendations for pregnant women, accusing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — led by the vaccine-skeptic secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — of "propagating misinformation." The American Pharmacists Assn. wrote that dropping the vaccine recommendation for pregnant women did "not appear to be based on the scientific evidence provided over the last few years." And an open letter by 30 organizations specializing in health — including the American Medical Assn. — said that "we must continue to prioritize high levels of COVID-19 vaccine coverage in pregnant patients to protect them and their infants after birth." Chin-Hong said he recommends pregnant women get vaccinated "one million percent." "The data are incredibly clear that pregnant women do have a higher rate of complications, hospitalization and premature births when they did not get vaccinated [against COVID] compared to the ones that did," said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, an infectious-disease expert at Stanford University. The vaccines also help newborns, as antibodies generated by the mom-to-be cross the placenta, and can protect the newborn for a certain number of months, she said. That's essential protection, given that newborns can't be vaccinated under 6 months of age, Maldonado said. If newborns are infected, they have relatively high rates of hospitalization — as high as those age 65 and over, Maldonado said. Read more: Amid measles outbreak, Texas is poised to make vaccine exemptions for kids easier Then, last week, Kennedy abruptly fired all members of a highly influential committee that advises the CDC on vaccine policy. In an op-ed to the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy criticized the previous members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, founded in 1964, as being "plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine." Maldonado, a professor in pediatric infectious diseases and epidemiology, was one of the fired vaccine advisors. She called their mass dismissal unprecedented in the history of the ACIP. "We are absolutely in uncharted territory here," Maldonado said. "I think it's going to be really hard to understand what vaccines are going to go forward. ... They're also going to review the entire vaccination schedule." In general, routine review of vaccine schedules are a good thing, and prior reviews have concluded that the current recommended shots are safe and effective, Maldonado said. But the criteria being circulated by recently appointed federal officials "could actually wind up refusing to recommend, say, measles vaccine or HPV vaccine, because I've seen some of the misinformation that has been out there about some of these vaccines. ... "And if any of that is accepted as truth, we could wind up losing some of these vaccines," Maldonado said. "The question, then, is: 'Would those vaccines disappear?' ... Hard to know," she said. But it's also possible that federal officials could begin to stop paying for certain vaccines to be administered to children of low-income families. Read more: Ex-official says he was forced out of FDA after trying to protect vaccine safety data from RFK Jr. She rejected Kennedy's characterization of the committee as a rubber stamp for vaccine makers. "Generally, a decision to not pursue a vaccine happens usually well before anything gets to a vote," Maldonado said. A joint statement by the governors of California, Oregon and Washington condemned Kennedy's dismissal of the vaccine advisors as "deeply troubling for the health of the nation" and defended the fired vaccine advisors as having been "carefully screened for major conflicts of interest." "We have grave concerns about the integrity and transparency of upcoming federal vaccine recommendations and will continue to collaborate to ensure that science and sound medicine prevail to prevent any loss of life," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement Thursday. Traditionally, the advisory committee's recommendations on who should get vaccinated were adopted by the director of the CDC. "It was one of the most depressing weeks in American health ... a dark period for everyone right now, and demoralizing," said Chin-Hong, of UC San Francisco. "It's very destabilizing." Read more: A pediatrician's dilemma: Should a practice kick out unvaccinated kids? The American Academy of Pediatrics called the purge of the vaccine advisors "an escalating effort by the administration to silence independent medical expertise and stoke distrust in lifesaving vaccines." Kennedy's handpicked replacements include people known for their criticism of vaccines, the Associated Press reported. The mass firing "likely puts vaccine access and insurance coverage at serious risk," the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement. "It corrodes trust in the recommended schedule for vaccines, not only by the public, but by medical providers who rely on the ACIP for science-based, apolitical guidance." The departments of public health for California, Oregon and Washington said they "continue to recommend all individuals age 6 months and older should have access and the choice to receive currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines, with an emphasis on protecting higher risk individuals, such as infants and toddlers, pregnant individuals, and others with risks for serious disease." The L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement that, "at this time in Los Angeles County, current vaccine recommendations for persons aged 6 months and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine remain in effect and insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines is still in place." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
COVID ‘razor blade throat' rises as new subvariant spreads in California
COVID-19 appears to be on the rise in some parts of California as a new, highly contagious subvariant — featuring 'razor blade throat' symptoms overseas — is becoming increasingly dominant. Nicknamed 'Nimbus,' the new subvariant NB.1.8.1 has been described in news reports in China as having more obvious signs of 'razor blade throat' — what patients describe as feeling like their throats are studded with razor blades. Although 'razor blade throat' may seem like a new term, the description of incredibly painful sore throats associated with COVID-19 has emerged before in the United States, like having a throat that feels like it's covered with shards of glass. But the increased attention to this symptom comes as the Nimbus subvariant has caused surges of COVID-19 in other countries. 'Before Omicron, I think most people presented with the usual loss of taste and smell as the predominant symptom and shortness of breath,' said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert. But as COVID has become less likely to require hospitalization, 'people are focusing on these other aspects of symptoms,' such as an extraordinarily painful sore throat. Part of the Omicron family, Nimbus is now one of the most dominant coronavirus subvariants nationally. For the two-week period that ended June 7, Nimbus comprised an estimated 37% of the nation's coronavirus samples, now roughly even with the subvariant LP.8.1, probably responsible for 38% of circulating virus. LP.8.1 has been dominant over the past few months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Nimbus subvariant has also been increasing since May in California, the state Department of Public Health said in an email to the Los Angeles Times. Projections suggest the Nimbus subvariant comprises 55% of circulating virus in California, up from observations of just 2% in April, the agency said Friday. 'We are seeing some indicators of increased COVID-19 activity, including the rise of the NB.1.8.1 variant, elevated coronavirus levels in wastewater, and an uptick in the test positivity rate,' Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, wrote in an email to The Times. 'Wastewater surveillance across Southern California shows variability: Santa Barbara watersheds are reporting moderate-to-high levels, Ventura and Los Angeles counties are seeing low-to-moderate levels, Riverside is reporting low levels, while San Bernardino is experiencing high activity,' Hudson said. While viral concentrations remain relatively low, Los Angeles County has observed an increase in coronavirus levels in sewage, the local Department of Public Health told The Times. For the week that ended May 30 — the most recent available — viral levels in wastewater rose by 13% versus a comparable period several weeks earlier. In addition, there is a slight increase in the rate in which COVID surveillance tests are turning up positive in L.A. County. For the most recent week, 5% of COVID surveillance tests showed positive results for infection, up from 3.8% in early May. COVID-related visits to the emergency room remain low in Los Angeles County. There were still low rates of COVID-19 illness in San Francisco, the local Department of Public Health said. Yet coronavirus levels in wastewater in Northern California's most populous county, Santa Clara County, are starting to increase, 'just as they have over past summers,' the local Public Health Department said in an email to The Times. As of Friday, coronavirus levels in the sewershed of San José was considered 'high.' Viral levels were 'medium' in Palo Alto and 'low' in Sunnyvale. Nimbus is the most common subvariant in the county. Across California, coronavirus levels in wastewater are at a 'medium' level; the last time viral levels were consistently 'low' was in April, according to the state Department of Public Health's website. 'Future seasonal increases in disease levels are likely,' the California Department of Public Health said in an email to The Times Friday. The uptick in COVID comes as many medical professional organizations and some state and local health officials are objecting to the Trump administration's recent moves on vaccine policy, which some experts fear will make it more difficult for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and other diseases. Federal officials in May weakened the CDC's official recommendations from recommending the COVID vaccine to everyone age 6 months and up. The CDC now offers 'no guidance' on whether healthy pregnant women should get the COVID vaccine, and now asks that parents of healthy children talk with a healthcare provider before asking that their kids get inoculated. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a rebuke of the changing vaccine recommendations for pregnant women, accusing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — led by the vaccine-skeptic secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — of 'propagating misinformation.' The American Pharmacists Assn. wrote that dropping the vaccine recommendation for pregnant women did 'not appear to be based on the scientific evidence provided over the last few years.' And an open letter by 30 organizations specializing in health — including the American Medical Assn. — said that 'we must continue to prioritize high levels of COVID-19 vaccine coverage in pregnant patients to protect them and their infants after birth.' Chin-Hong said he recommends pregnant women get vaccinated 'one million percent.' 'The data are incredibly clear that pregnant women do have a higher rate of complications, hospitalization and premature births when they did not get vaccinated [against COVID] compared to the ones that did,' said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, an infectious-disease expert at Stanford University. The vaccines also help newborns, as antibodies generated by the mom-to-be cross the placenta, and can protect the newborn for a certain number of months, she said. That's essential protection, given that newborns can't be vaccinated under 6 months of age, Maldonado said. If newborns are infected, they have relatively high rates of hospitalization — as high as those age 65 and over, Maldonado said. Then, last week, Kennedy abruptly fired all members of a highly influential committee that advises the CDC on vaccine policy. In an op-ed to the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy criticized the previous members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, founded in 1964, as being 'plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine.' Maldonado, a professor in pediatric infectious diseases and epidemiology, was one of the fired vaccine advisors. She called their mass dismissal unprecedented in the history of the ACIP. 'We are absolutely in uncharted territory here,' Maldonado said. 'I think it's going to be really hard to understand what vaccines are going to go forward. ... They're also going to review the entire vaccination schedule.' In general, routine review of vaccine schedules are a good thing, and prior reviews have concluded that the current recommended shots are safe and effective, Maldonado said. But the criteria being circulated by recently appointed federal officials 'could actually wind up refusing to recommend, say, measles vaccine or HPV vaccine, because I've seen some of the misinformation that has been out there about some of these vaccines. ... 'And if any of that is accepted as truth, we could wind up losing some of these vaccines,' Maldonado said. 'The question, then, is: 'Would those vaccines disappear?' ... Hard to know,' she said. But it's also possible that federal officials could begin to stop paying for certain vaccines to be administered to children of low-income families. She rejected Kennedy's characterization of the committee as a rubber stamp for vaccine makers. 'Generally, a decision to not pursue a vaccine happens usually well before anything gets to a vote,' Maldonado said. A joint statement by the governors of California, Oregon and Washington condemned Kennedy's dismissal of the vaccine advisors as 'deeply troubling for the health of the nation' and defended the fired vaccine advisors as having been 'carefully screened for major conflicts of interest.' 'We have grave concerns about the integrity and transparency of upcoming federal vaccine recommendations and will continue to collaborate to ensure that science and sound medicine prevail to prevent any loss of life,' Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement Thursday. Traditionally, the advisory committee's recommendations on who should get vaccinated were adopted by the director of the CDC. 'It was one of the most depressing weeks in American health ... a dark period for everyone right now, and demoralizing,' said Chin-Hong, of UC San Francisco. 'It's very destabilizing.' The American Academy of Pediatrics called the purge of the vaccine advisors 'an escalating effort by the administration to silence independent medical expertise and stoke distrust in lifesaving vaccines.' Kennedy's handpicked replacements include people known for their criticism of vaccines, the Associated Press reported. The mass firing 'likely puts vaccine access and insurance coverage at serious risk,' the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement. 'It corrodes trust in the recommended schedule for vaccines, not only by the public, but by medical providers who rely on the ACIP for science-based, apolitical guidance.' The departments of public health for California, Oregon and Washington said they 'continue to recommend all individuals age 6 months and older should have access and the choice to receive currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines, with an emphasis on protecting higher risk individuals, such as infants and toddlers, pregnant individuals, and others with risks for serious disease.' The L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement that, 'at this time in Los Angeles County, current vaccine recommendations for persons aged 6 months and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine remain in effect and insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines is still in place.'
