Only half of the communities in the Whittier Area saw an increase in their positivity rate. Only 2 Whittier Area communities saw their positivity rates declines this week, including La Habra Heights. The remaining 8 communities saw no change in their positivity ratios which means they are holding the line against COVID 19.
The communities that saw increases were:
The City of Whittier by 1 percentage point
South Whittier by 1 percentage point
West Whitier/Los Nietos by 1 percentage point
The City of Santa Fe Springs by 1 percentage point
Sunrise Village by 1 percentage point
The City of La Habra by 1 percentage point
Whittier Narrows by 4 percentage points
Pellisier Village by 1 percentage point
The biggest increase appears to have among the Whittier Narrows homeless encampment. However more precise data is required in order for us to know for sure. Homeless in the Whittier Area have very limited options for self isolating and the resources of Whittier Area Communities is already stretched thin with trying to protect the non homeless portion of their populations from the pandemic. Many homeless are not wearing masks unless one is donated to them and they often end up wearing the same mask over and over again without being able to clean and disinfect. There is a hypothesis that the SARS COV 2 positivity increase will test the immune systems of the homeless, which tend to overall be stronger than those who are fortunate to be housed. So far, even with the huge increase, we have not seen any homeless die from COVID 19 yet. We should put an emphasis on that word: yet.
There is always a first time for everything and as the economy strains under the pandemic and looming imposition of communism. It is now believed that the Sars-Cov 2 virus evolved as a consequence of climate change due to both direct and indirect evidence such as the fact the virus spreads the furthers by catching a ride on motor vehicle and aircraft exhaust and thrives best when the climate is hottest and driest. However unlike other viruses, SARS-COV 2 is turning out to be a virus without a specific season and instead could be a year round threat at this time. This year there were two spikes: Summer and Fall and experts are predicting more surges in Winter depending on how soon the new vaccines can be distributed to all Americans who want them.
The City of Whittier saw both the highest number of new cases and the highest number of COVID 19 fatalities this week. All together there were 1,670 new cases of COVID 19 in the Whittier Area this week.
The top 10 highest weekly increases by community:
City of Whittier-373 new cases
City of Pico Rivera- 294 new cases
South Whittier- 284 new cases
City of La Habra- 193 new cases
Hacienda Heights- 124 new cases
City of La Mirada- 123 new cases
West Whittier/Los Nietos 107 new cases
City of Santa Fe Springs- 81 new cases
North Whittier- 28 new cases
East La Mirada- 15 new cases
If the cities of the Whittier Area were to cooperate more closely together on the pandemic, the cooperation would put a significant dent in the effects of the pandemic in the Whittier Area. The cities of the Whittier make the majority of new COVID 19 cases or 1,068 out of the 1,670 or nearly 64%. The Whittier City Council, as mentioned by another article, has discussed possibly cooperating with other cities on setting up an alternative to the LA County health authority. The data currently shows there would be substantial benefits to local cities working more closely together on a more coordinated response to the COVID 19 pandemic. Such cooperation stands a very good chance of resulting in stronger reduction of COVID 19 cases in the Whittier Area regardless of what happens on the LA County Public Health front. If local cities can work together to stop the spread of COVID 19, it would eliminate 64% of the COVID 19 spread according to current data. The local cities are: Whittier, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Industry, La Habra, La Mirada and La Habra Heights.
It would also help lead to a decrease in COVID 19 deaths. The largest increase in COVID 19 deaths this week was in the City of Whittier where 14 people died from COVID 19. While that is the highest it has been for the Whittier Area, it is still far below the numbers for Los Angeles County overall. There were a total of 20 COVID 19 caused deaths in the Whittier Area this week. Here are the communities that had COVID 19 deaths this week:
City of Whittier - 14
City of Pico Rivera- 3
South Whittier- 1
West Whittier/Los Nietos- 1
City of La Mirada- 1
This data indicates that close cooperation between the cities may reduce most of the Whittier Area's COVID 19 mortality rate as that appears to be where most of the deaths are occurring at present, in the cities. Over all the Whittier Area's death number remain substantially below the counties. Having said that, any loss of life is a tragedy.
If anything, the current pandemic should put new emphasis on the need to address the change in the climate regardless of who or what caused it. If we don't more pandemics caused more newly evolved viruses are likely and some of those are likely to be worse than COVID 19. In the meantime, local cities can work together to make sure than most restaurants in the Whittier Area are required to install clear plastic barriers between tables so that when outdoor dining returns it will be safer and help prevent another spike. Religious organizations holding outdoor services could do the same thing. Businesses and religious groups located in the unincorporated areas could get on the act by doing this on their own voluntarily.
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