Los Angeles County to require indoor masks, even for vaccinated people

Vaccinated and unvaccinated Los Angeles County residents will once again be required to wear face masks indoors, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Thursday. The new mask warrant order, which takes effect Saturday, July 17 at 11:59 p.m. local time, comes as COVID-19 transmission rates increase in the region.

“Indoor masking needs to become a normal practice again for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, so that we can stop the trends and level of transmission that we are currently seeing,” said Dr Muntu Davis, head of County of Los Angeles, at a press conference Thursday.

Over the past week, more than 1,000 cases have been reported every day, increasing the rate of community transmission from moderate to substantial, Davis said. He said the county has seen more than 1.2 million cases since the start of the pandemic. The order for masks is expected to remain in place until community transmission rates of the virus begin to improve, he said.

Wearing a mask indoors with others reduces the risk of contracting and transmitting the virus. We demand a mask for everyone indoors in public places and businesses, regardless of vaccination status, so that we can stop the increased level of transmission that we are seeing. pic.twitter.com/xmr77qsmBv

– LA Public health (@lapublichealth) July 15, 2021

More than 400 people in the county are currently hospitalized with the virus, an increase of about 130 people week-over-week, Davis said. Ninety-six of those hospitalized are currently in intensive care units, CBS Los Angeles reported.

The most transmissible and deadly Delta strain of the virus is responsible for 60% of cases in the country. Scientists said COVID-19 vaccines approved in the United States were effective in protecting against known strains of the virus.

Davis urged eligible residents to get vaccinated, saying “Becoming fully vaccinated against COVID-19 remains the best protective measure people can take. ”

As of July 11, Davis said 10.7 million doses of the vaccine had been given to residents of Los Angeles County and more than 5 million people were fully vaccinated.

However, the doctor said the county is still “not where we need to be” when it comes to vaccination numbers, and unvaccinated people are behind the rapidly rising rates. He said the overall immunization figures are currently “disappointing”.

Los Angeles County lifted mask warrants for fully vaccinated residents on June 15 as the state began a tiered reopening system. Current recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that fully immunized people can forgo masks in most situations, whether indoors or outdoors, and regardless of the size of the activity.