AS the two year anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic approaches, Los Angeles County hit a new milestone on Friday, March 4 and lifted its indoor mask mandate.
The LA County Department of Public Health on Thursday, March 3, issued a modified health officer order after the county moved into medium or low risk for COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention community level designation.
According to the modified order, indoor masking will not be required, but will be strongly recommended for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
However, face coverings will still be required in high-risk settings where federal and state regulations continue to require masking, such as on public transportation, emergency shelters, health care settings, correctional and detention facilities, homeless shelters and long-term care facilities.
Employers will be required to offer, for voluntary use, medical grade masks and respirators to employees working indoors in close contact with other workers and/or customers at sites where masking indoors is no longer mandatory, according to the Department of Public Health.
“Despite the encouraging news, people who are unvaccinated, immunocompromised, or living in low-resourced communities, continue to be at higher risk and are more likely to become seriously ill and die from COVID-19. Along with the significant protection provided by vaccines and boosters, masks add an important barrier to transmission that protects those most vulnerable from the worst outcomes. Therefore, Public Health, in alignment with the state, strongly recommends that individuals keep their masks on in public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status, until there is less risk for those at elevated risk,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of LA County Public Health.
Friday’s reversal as California state lifted its indoor mask mandate for unvaccinated individuals last Tuesday, March 1.
By March 11, schools and childcare facilities will no longer be enforced but will continue to be strongly recommended for students, children, teachers and staff regardless of vaccination status. School districts in LA County will have the authority to require masking at schools and at school activities.
Masking will continue to be required for those who exit isolation or quarantine early through day 10 of their isolation or quarantine period. “Regardless of the community risk level, people can wear a mask based on their personal preference, comfort level, and informed by their personal level of risk,” Public Health said in a release on Thursday.
Several COVID-19 measures remain in place, including a city of LA ordinary requiring people over the age of 12 to show proof of vaccination before entering indoor restaurants, gyms, entertainment and recreational facilities and personal care establishments.
As of Thursday, Public Health confirmed 80 additional deaths and 1,626 new cases of COVID-19. To date, the total number of deaths is 30,853 and 2,799,169 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County. The positivity rate is 1.2% as of this writing.
