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Los Angeles County to require masks regardless of vaccination status: What you need to know
Los Angeles County officials released a new Health Officer Order Thursday requiring masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. The newly reinstated mask mandate will go into effect on Saturday night at 11:59 p.m (PST).
The move comes as more than 1,000 COVID cases a day have been reported in the county over the last seven days. On Thursday, officials reported an additional 1,537 cases and three deaths.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID in L.A. County jumped to 452 on Thursday, up from 406 on Wednesday. Of those hospitalized, 96 are in intensive care units.
“This is an all hands on deck moment,” said Los Angeles County Public Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis. “We’re seeing the rates go up too high. We all need to do our part to try and prevent the need to do something else.
He said the order, which he himself is responsible for signing, “will be similar” to masking requirements the county had in place before its June 15 reopening. Sacramento Area health officials announced a similar indoor mask mandate earlier in the day.
Asked if there is potential for further restrictions Davis said, “Everything is on the table if things continue to get worse. The next level is ‘High Transmission,’ and that’s not a place that we want be. We can’t wait for this to go higher before we act.”