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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said today that a vaccinated LAPD employee was hospitalized with COVID-19, but “he and the doctors are convinced that the vaccination ultimately saved his life.''
The employee had received the Moderna vaccine but contracted the Delta variant of the virus, Moore said.
“As much as his hospitalization occurred and it was a serious and critical need for his recovery and he was in the ICU for a portion of time, he and the doctors are convinced that the vaccination ultimately saved his life in lessening the impact of the Delta variant,'' Moore said.
Moore added that beginning next week, vaccines will be available at each LAPD station.
“We're scheduling the logistics of it so that the convenience will be for officers -- that are working overnight shift or the day shift – will have the ability to sign up and be vaccinated at their workplace,'' he said.
Los Angeles officials are hashing out the details of a possible policy that would require all city employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly negative COVID-19 tests.
Moore did not provide an update Tuesday on the percentage of officers who have received the vaccine, but it has lagged behind the county's general adult vaccination rate. He has expressed support for the city's policy to require vaccines or negative tests.
Fifty-two additional Los Angeles Police Department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, Moore said Tuesday, bringing the department's total number of positive cases to 2,848.
Moore told the Police Commission on Tuesday that four department employees are currently hospitalized, and two additional employees were hospitalized earlier in the week but have been released.
Of the 52 employees who tested positive for the virus in the last week, 47 are sworn officers. Moore said 122 personnel are recovering at home, and an additional 31 employees have returned to work in the last week.
A total of 2,733 employees who have contracted the virus during the pandemic have returned to work.
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