Weekly COVID-19 deaths in Los Angeles County are higher than at any point during the summer surge, illustrating the persistent toll the pandemic continues to exact.⁠ ⁠ Many officials and experts point out that L.A. County — and the country as a whole — is better positioned to weather a winter wave this year given the widespread availability of vaccines and access to effective therapeutics.⁠ ⁠ But the continued deaths illustrate that the pandemic is not over. And while coronavirus transmission has recently flattened, county officials remain concerned about a renewed surge following Christmas, a development that historically has triggered corresponding rises in deaths a few weeks later.⁠ ⁠ Read more at the link in bio.