FDA panel votes to include latest omicron variants in fall boosters as LA sees sharp rise in cases

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Food and Drug Administration advisers voted in favor of updating the new COVID-19 vaccine to include the latest omicron subvariants.

An FDA expert panel determined the vaccines should be updated with the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants. It's the most current variant.

Scientists agreed boosters should also include the original strain. It's a move that is in step with the rising emergence of these subvariants in Los Angeles County.

"BA.4 and BA.5 accounted for about 16% of all of our specimens. That's three and a half times higher than two weeks ago," said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, PHd.

After a couple of weeks of slowing, high case counts continue and the number of people needing to be hospitalized has increased 16% in the last seven days, surpassing 800 COVID-positive admission.

It's a metric that could move L.A. County into the CDC's high community level by July 30, but it's a moving target.

READ MORE: LA County indoor mask mandate may not happen until July. Here's why

The pace of COVID-19-positive patients being admitted to hospitals in Los Angeles County has begun to slow, pushing back the estimate of when an indoor mask-wearing mandate might be re-imposed.

"It's very difficult for us to accurately predict the rate of future hospitalizations," Ferrer said.

On the vaccine front, new data shows how well the current vaccines are working.

Of the seven million fully-vaccinated people in L.A. County, 13% have tested positive.

The latest numbers also reveal vaccinated residents are four times less likely to be hospitalized.

"Between May 20 and June 2, unvaccinated residents in L.A. County were about eight times more likely to die from COVID-19 than fully-vaccinated residents," Ferrer said.

READ MORE: 900 places in LA County offering COVID vaccine for kids under 5

More than 103,000 vaccine doses have been delivered to Los Angeles County vaccination sites, children's hospitals, pharmacies and pediatricians.

Since the beginning of summer, Ferrer said booster uptake among 5 to 17 year olds has been slow. She's encouraging parents to take advantage of this opportunity to maximize protection.

Meanwhile, efforts to vaccinate those under five are just getting ramped up.

On Sesame Street, 3-year-old Elmo and his dad demonstrated how it's done.

"Getting your COVID vaccine Elmo?" Elmo's dad asked.

"There was a little pinch, but it was okay," Elmo said.

On average, less than 50% of L.A. County children ages 5 to 11 are fully-vaccinated.

READ MORE: Elmo gets COVID vaccine in new Sesame Workshop PSA

Advisers to the U.S. government are recommending that COVID-19 booster shots used this fall be modified to better match more recent variants of the coronavirus.