Covid In the US: California’s mask mandate goes into effect on Wednesday.
Los Angeles:
Authorities in California said on Monday they were resuming mask-wearing duties in all indoor public spaces to try to curb a resurgence of Covid-19 in recent weeks.
The mask rule, which goes into effect on Wednesday, applies to all individuals, whether vaccinated or not.
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other California counties reintroduced local mask-wearing rules a few months ago.
But other counties, such as Orange and San Diego, which are very densely populated, have stuck with statewide regulations that only require masks in certain public spaces like airports, hospitals or school, not in a store, restaurant, or movie theater. .
California Health Secretary Mark Ghaly said the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases prompted the new regulation. There has been a 47 percent increase in cases since the Thanksgiving holiday in late November.
The number of daily new coronavirus infections in California rose from 9.6 per 100,000 to 14 per 100,000 during that time. Ghaly said that wearing a mask could help prevent a repeat of last winter’s high rates of infection and death.
“This was a pivotal moment where we had a tool that we knew worked and could work,” Ghaly said. “When we look at the evidence that masks make a difference, even a 10 percent increase in masks indoors can significantly reduce the likelihood of case transmission.”
The mask mission will remain in place until January 15.
California has also controlled unvaccinated people who want to attend gatherings of more than 1,000 people in an enclosed space. Unvaccinated attendees will have to provide a negative Covid-19 test done less than 24 or 48 hours (depending on test type) earlier, as opposed to 72 hours earlier.
California’s announcement came the same day that similar restrictions were in place in New York City.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from the feed provided.)
