Half of California’s population revert to masking indoors in public, local health officials say

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Health workers in seven Bay Area counties have called on residents to revert to masking in public as the number of Covid-19s rises statewide.

On Friday afternoon, the Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma and City of Berkeley County Health Departments recommended that “everyone, regardless of their immunization status, wear masks indoors in public places to ensure easy verification that all unvaccinated people are masked within these settings. “

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Additionally, the counties’ announcement states that “businesses are urged to adopt universal masking requirements for customers entering interior areas of their businesses to provide better protection for their employees and customers.” Workplaces must comply with Cal / OSHA requirements, and fully immunized employees are encouraged to wear masks indoors if their employer has not confirmed the immunization status of those around them. “

The move comes a day after Los Angeles, Yolo and Sacramento issued similar guidelines. Adding up, counties make up about half of California’s 39 million people.

“It’s a time when all stakeholders are on deck,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County public health official. “We see rates going too high. We all need to do our part to try to avoid having to do something else. “

The return to masking restrictions by Bay Area counties comes on the same day the number of new cases in California jumped by more than 1,000, from 3,611 Thursday to 4,651 Friday. The last time the state saw this kind of one-day peak was on March 2, according to the state’s tracking. The last time the number of new daily cases exceeded 4,600 was on February 22.

As county health officials take action, California Governor Gavin Newsom has remained mostly silent on the increase in Covid cases. Newsom, facing a recall election, has taken the state by storm by touting new initiatives in the wake of the state’s massive budget surplus. He likes to say from the podium that California is “coming back in force”. Unfortunately, his assessment applies not only to the state’s positive fiscal position, but also to its Covid-19 infection rates.

Newsom answered few questions about the Covid last week, despite its numerous appearances. When he signed the state budget during a political campaign type event, he did not answer any questions. The governor’s most recent messages on Twitter also did not address the rapid rise in cases, but instead pleaded with Californians to “get the shot.” Good advice, according to infectious disease experts.

The 7-day average test positivity rate and the closely monitored cases per 100,000 are both on the rise. On July 4, the average 7-day test positivity rate was 1.8%. It has more than doubled since to reach 3.7% on Friday. Likewise, the case rate per 100,000 in California fell from 4.2 on July 4 to 5.4 on Friday. The numbers are worrisome not only because they indicate a rapid increase in infections, but also because such a rapid increase is difficult to stop once started.

When Governor Newsom reopened the state on June 15, he put aside his blueprint for a safer economy, which dictated how open counties could be based on key Covid metrics, including positivity. of tests and cases per 100,000. If that framework were still in place, California would no longer be in its yellow or minimum level, but on the other side of the orange or moderate level, on the verge of the red or substantial level. That’s based on the state’s current case rate of 5.4 per 100,000. The state’s largest city, Los Angeles, on Thursday announced numbers that would qualify it for that red level, hence the warrant. of the mask.

Newsom’s office has refused media requests to meet the new mask requirements.

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