The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has announced that it will not move forward with a universal indoor masking mandate, thanks to improved COVID-19 numbers.
"Due to reduced transmission and hospitalizations, Public Health is not
moving forward with universal indoor masking. Wearing masks in indoor
public places is still strongly advised to slow the spread of COVID-19," the department announced in a tweet on Thursday, June 28.
LAPDH Director Barbara Ferrer said in a briefing that the improved numbers meant that the move was not necessary.
That said, the department would continue to monitor for any major outbreaks, which would mean that the department would need to "reassess," she said.
Mandate Could Have Faced Uphill Battle
The issue had been coming to a head across the county, with multiple
leaders and municipalities vowing not to enforce the proposed mandate.
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has said she is
opposed to a mask mandate, calling them "polarizing" and "unenforceable."
Additionally,
Supervisor Janice Hahn has said she sides with the California
Department of Health in recommending but not mandating indoor masking.
The
cities of Long Beach and Pasadena (both of which have their own health
departments) have said that they would not institute mask mandates; and
the cities of Beverly Hills and El Segundo have announced that they
would not enforce such a mandate, if one is instituted.
How Did We Get (Back) Here?
According to LACDPH, Los Angeles County entered the
High Covid Community Level
on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19
Community Levels framework in mid-July after hospital admissions exceeded 10 new
hospital admissions per 100,000 people. The county’s admission rate, at
10.5 hospital admissions per 100,000 people, reflected an 88% increase when
compared to one month earlier.
LACDPH had originally said that if the county remained in the High COVID-19 Community Level for two
consecutive weeks, universal indoor masking would be implemented beginning on July
29 to help slow the rate of transmission and protect those most
vulnerable.
However, since the numbers actually went down, there was no reason to come down with another mandate.
Indoor masking is already required in many places, including at all healthcare settings,
public transit and transit hubs, long-term care settings, shelters and
cooling centers, and correctional facilities. Indoor masking also
continues to be required at worksites with outbreaks, and is required
for all individuals during the 10 days after a COVID diagnosis or
exposure when they are around others.
Businesses and employers are allowed to require masks at work,
and many have done that, either by maintaining an indoor masking
requirement throughout the pandemic or reinstating one as cases began
increasing.
Manhattan Beach has a vaccination rate of 90.5%, among all residents 6 months and older.