The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Photo: CDC.gov)
CDC Announces Indoor Mask Mandate Recommendations for 13 Calif. Counties
‘In the home stretch like this with people just beginning to recover financially, it may do more harm than good’
By Evan Symon, June 4, 2022 2:45 am
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday that 13 counties in California, roughly one-quarter of the state, have reached ‘High’ levels of COVID-19 and are recommended a return of indoor masking in those counties.
All 13 counties are located in Northern California, including the Counties of Del Norte, El Dorado, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Benito, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo. According to the CDC, hospital bed capacity, newly admitted COVID-19 patients per 100,000 residents, and the total number of new cases per 100,000 in a county are used to rank where a county stands. Under that metric, in counties with more than 200 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past week, COVID patients admission where it is over 10 per 100,000 are officially listed as high. On Friday, those 13 counties went above that 10 threshold, including Sacramento with 12.1 per 100,000, Sonoma and Marin Counties with 11.8, and Solano County with 11.5.
On Friday, some institutions in these counties announced that mask mandates would be back beginning Monday, including all schools in the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD). The SCUSD had gotten rid of their mandate in April following declining new COVID-19 cases following the 2021-2022 winter surge.
“This decision was made with careful consideration of the current data trends and is intended to limit the spread of COVID-19 in schools and the community,” said the SCUSD in a press release.
However, as of Friday, all 13 counties marked by the CDC as “high” noted that instead of following CDC guidance they will instead follow the guidance of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on whether or not to reintroduce countywide indoor masking policies.
“In general, we’re not feeling like the impact on the health care system, at this point in time, is at a point where mandatory masking should be re-instituted,” noted. Yolo County Public Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson.
Solano County officials also released a similar release, stating “We will continue to defer to CDPH guidance and not require wearing masks indoors.”
LA may join Alameda County in returning mask mandates despite not reaching “High” level
While no County fully moved to the mask mandate on Friday, one County not listed as high, Alameda, had already regressed back to the mandate on Thursday following a boosted number of COVID-19 cases within the County. Others, such as Los Angeles County, noted that they would likely be listed as ‘High’ by the end of the month and would likely go back to indoor masking mandates as a result.
“We applaud Alameda County as we do all counties that are being proactive in looking at their data,” said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Friday. “They do have both higher case rates and higher hospitalizations than L.A. County.
“There is a slight increase in new cases vs. last week, with just over 5,000 today. This number is an undercount since it doesn’t include positive results from over the counter tests. At the current pace of increases in local COVID-related hospitalizations, the county will move into the federal government’s “high” virus activity category within a few weeks, possibly by the end of June. That that would trigger a return of mandatory indoor mask wearing in the county.”
However, many residents in both Northern and Southern California counties expressed concern that any return of masking mandates could have far greater economic and social effects than any health effects.
“It doesn’t matter if they call Interstate 5 ‘the 5′, I-5′,’Highway 5’, ‘5’, or ‘the freeway’, hatred to these mandates have united us all,” explained Louis Shapiro, a Northern California healthcare worker who helped guide local businesses both in and out of mask-wearing usage during the pandemic, to the Globe on Friday. “I let some people know that mandates could return soon and I got a lot of disbelief, a lot of yelling, and a lot of swears. These mandates hurt people trying to make a living far more than people think and we need to look at that danger.
“I used to believe we should look at these things solely from a health point of view, but I’ve been seeing how shortsighted that can really be. Mandates are needed during pandemics, but in the home stretch like this with people just beginning to recover financially, it may do more harm than good.”
Counties are expected to possibly announce new mandates in the coming weeks.
- Where the Ultra-Competitive 2026 California Gubernatorial Race Currently Stands - November 19, 2024
- Former Marine Jeff Gonzalez Flips Long Held Democratic 36th District Assembly Seat - November 18, 2024
- Recall Effort Against SF Supervisor Joel Engardio Grows Following Measure K Passage - November 18, 2024
The people in power need to re-institute C19 mandates before November so they can scare people away from voting in person. This makes ballot harvesting so much easier…………..again.
Hey if it works…………keep using it!
Everyone be sure to VOTE so our numbers are able to overcome nonsense like this, which is illegal in most other states.
You far left keep me at home and I will bow to your destruction of my country asshole!!! You have finally told the people the truth I hope they see this and wake up I can’t believe you like living in fear and poverty oh wait you are probably a rich Biden supporter and you have a lot to gain I see the truth now!!! ????????????
Even with their fake high death numbers, 2 deaths per 1000 was never an emergency pandemic. Americans have 2.5 deaths per 1000 just from smoking cigarettes. 4 per 1000 die each year from doctor visits. They are just selling experimental vaccines when none is needed.
I’m waiting for the “Crypt Keeper”, fake Dr. Ferrer, to “mandate” masking in LA County. OMG! The cases are rising…we’re all gonna die…. As much as I dislike Gavin Gruesome I would think he’d call the heads of these county health departments and tell them back off masking because masks ruin his reelection chances.
Our elections are rigged. He’s not concerned.
So, if masks work to stop the spread and most of the residents here are also quadrupled “vaxxed” and have not given up their mask wearing, why the increase in cases?
Seriously you cannot blame it on the healthy “unvaxxed” or the poor children who have not been able to breathe fresh air unobstructed for the last 2 years! Mask mandates do not work!
But hey keep masking …….????
So, if masks work to stop the spread and most of the residents here are also quadrupled “vaxxed” and have not given up their mask wearing, why the increase in cases?
Seriously you cannot blame it on the healthy “unvaxxed” or the poor children who have not been able to breathe fresh air unobstructed for the last 2 years! Mask mandates do not work!
But hey keep masking …….????
First off these counties are not Northern California and as far as the masks go everyone can do what is best for them we the people do have brains in our heads.
Umm, last time I checked, Del Norte County touched Oregon. That’s as north as you can get in California.
Umm, last time I checked, Del Norte County touched the Oregon border. That’s about as north as you can get in California.
DO NOT COMPLY WITH MASKING PSEUDO-SCIENCE AND QUACKERY FROM THE NEO-FASCIST STATE. Period.
NOT voting for Newsom, he will not reinstate MASKS he afraid of losing votes he would would rather lose more California California human lives….
Your brainwashed.
Get your daily dose of micro plastics in your lungs Democrats!
Wearing masks do NOT prevent the virus. Wearing masks do keep people controlled by the government.
Wearing masks is unhealthy to most people. Businesses in LA county who insist on people wearing masks may loose business to other counties Ann free states. Mask mandates are business killers and are NOT laws. Wake up Americans.
All you ???? donkey and elephants ???? should come up with a solution for all of us Americans to fight this virus not fight one another. God’s blessings ????
Because masking worked so well the first few times.
2 weeks to slow the spread has been a huge success …..
If the plan is destroying our income,
putting our children last in educational advantages,
increasing rampant crime,
Multipling drug addiction and deaths,
…..shall I go on ?
Maybe they should rename themselves the chaos and crime party.
All of this is so trans….parent , it blows my mind how many people are thinking in lockstep with the echo of mainstream media.
This is so depressing. Almost every other state moved on at least a year ago. But CA is in one big time warp. My county, Alameda County, has already reinstated masks everywhere indoors. To avoid what? A summer cold? Viruses don’t last for years. A seasonal flu is different each year. A cold changes after after a few months. The problems is the stupid and totally self-centered around here which are desperate for the gvt to protect them — regardless of the consequences to children and others.
I would like to hope this time around CA businesses will not comply with the rhetoric. People in CA need to quit complying, the rest of the US has moved on and doesn’t even discuss the flu anymore. The poor school children having to stay masked there, what a disgrace.
Masking does not prevent transmission of Covid, yet these “officials” see fit to implement this order – right before the election.
There’s a whole lot of manipulation going on, and when I see lone people in their cars with masks on, it looks like it’s working.
Just wait for the dreaded “Midterm Variant.”
nope, not putting another mask on
All of comments on the far left are ridiculous.statements.And you really want Republicans back in office. Look what happened with Trump. Your all Pro Republicans… I’m sorry like a person commented on. Your all Brain washed. Biden has done more then anything other president. Ever. Wake up. And really see what they’re doing to our country.
All of you please wake up. The Rebuplicans are trying to destroy Democracy. Do you want another Putin in the. Untied States of America. Trump tried to become Dictator. Are you really Brain washed… To the excent of. That happening..and the Stolen Election! Look at the whole picture…
I’m really disappointed with all People that are Rebuplicans. Look at all of the evidence… They wanted to get Trump out of Office. All of them. As far as I’m concerned your really Brain washed. Do you want another Dictator like Putin. Trump almost achieved it . He should of been out of Office after the Muller investigation . He had been impeached twice!
There is evidence that masks increase covid death rates by 50% by forcing infected droplets deeper into lungs. If leftists are forcing something you know death and destruction are the goal.
MASKS JUST DON’T WORK! IF YOU CAN SMELL A FART THROUGH A PAIR OF JEANS, THEN A CLOTH MASK IS NOT GOING TO STOP A FAKE VIRUS, OR A REAL ILLNESS THAT THEY KEEP CIRCULATING TO CAUSE GENOCIDE ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!! WAKE UP! FOOD DISAPPEARING, MONEY CRISIS, JOBS DOWN, DEATH RATES HIGH, SUICIDES UP, WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
HEAVENLY FATHER,
PROTECT THIS NATION FROM THE EVIL THAT IS UPON IT. MAY EVERYONE PUT ON YOUR “BODY OF ARMOR” AND GET READY AS THE BIRTHING PAINS ARE INCREASING. THE FOURTH HORSE IS RIDING…
AMEN ????????
COVID-19 may be on the rise to stop the ???? and coming from working in a hospital environment it’s not the virus doing damage it’s the people involved in need of a reality check! A turn from BLM real hahaha moments. FedEx Oakland have voices as if the invisible man exist and still want a mask mandate. Can we get an end the connected double up doctors want to work which will reduce the virus mainly because doubling humans weakens the immune system! The voices is another means to collect $. That’s attempted suicide threats mainly because those voices will tell you to kill yourself. Last end doubled humans for copy cat for Darryl, same games so independence can’t generate to prosecute torturous cases as aCovid-19 due to doubling up humans for connectivity lie and cover. Ned workers are humans not computers and know all, they lie.
WTF?
Mask-wearing DOES work to protect against becoming infected with viruses.
Do your research.
Along with freedom comes responsibility.
Youre free to choose, so be responsible for those persons who are most vulnerable, babies and elderly who have no freedom of choice.
Wear a mask! It’s not the end of your life.
Be selfless, not selfish.
Be educated.
The CDC has reported that cloth masks do very little to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from spreading. Even surgical masks are probably only marginally effective. The SFC reported: “A Danish study found no statistically significant benefit from surgical masks. A study in Bangladesh reported no benefit from cloth masks and only very modest impact from surgical masks (which appeared to evaporate in a subsequent reanalysis of the raw data). This is unsurprising, given that numerous controlled trials in health care and other settings have similarly found masks to be ineffective for preventing the spread of other respiratory viruses such as influenza.”
Every single randomized controlled test shows that masks don’t work.
Stop with the fake science. If masks worked this hoax would have ended over a year ago.
Do not comply.