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Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said on Friday he would not use his department to enforce a mandatory indoor mask requirement that is expected to go into effect this weekend amid a spike in cases of COVID-19 across the county since it reopened.
The county public health department on Thursday reinstated the requirement that masks be worn indoors regardless of vaccination status, a month after California abandoned its mandate as a nationwide mask. the state for vaccinated people.
“We are not where we need to be for the millions of people at risk of infection here in Los Angeles County, and waiting to do something will be too late, given what we are seeing,” said the Dr Muntu Davis, LA County Health Officer. during a virtual briefing with journalists.
Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva said on Friday he would not enforce an indoor mask requirement and instead ask MPs to voluntarily comply. (AP Photo / Jae C. Hong, file)
In a statement, Villanueva said that forcing those who are vaccinated or who have contracted COVID-19 to wear masks indoors “is not supported by science and contradicts guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) of the United States “.
“The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) has the authority to enforce the order, but the underfunded / disbursed Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will not spend our limited resources and will demand rather voluntary compliance, ”he said. “We encourage the DPH to work with the supervisory board and law enforcement to establish mandates that are both achievable and science-backed.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathy Barger also voiced her opposition to the order.
“I’m concerned about the increase in cases, but I don’t think the mask’s mandate will help efforts to highlight the effectiveness of vaccines and force unvaccinated residents to get vaccinated,” she said. tweeted on Friday. “LA County should stay aligned with the state instead of creating confusion and disagreement at the local level.”
Fox News has contacted the Department of Public Health but has not received a response.
The new mandate comes into effect on Saturday at 11:59 p.m. All indoor spaces, including gyms, retail stores, large events, offices, and restaurants – when not eating or drinking – will require a mask to be worn.
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It was not known how long health officials planned to keep order. David said transmission of the coronavirus has steadily increased since the county reopened on June 15. The Delta variant, which is more contagious than other spots, has also raised concerns among health officials.
On Friday, the public health department said the COVID-19 positivity rate increased 700% in one month, from 0.5% to 3.7%. The agency urged residents to get vaccinated.
“Vaccines can protect you against serious illness, hospitalization and death,” he tweeted.
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