Stanislaus County residents are expected to comply with COVID-19 state mask order
Stanislaus County residents can break open a new package of face masks now that the state is requiring masks to prevent a severe winter surge of coronavirus illness.
State health officials announced the universal mask order Monday. Starting Wednesday, all California residents will be required to wear masks indoors in public places. The order will remain in effect through the Christmas season before ending Jan. 15.
California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the mandate will affect about 50% of Californians who are not currently under a county-level mask mandate. The new order applies to Stanislaus County, which has not been under a mask requirement for a month.
A county mask order ran from early September to mid-November, requiring people to wear face coverings in indoor public places, regardless of their vaccination status. It was lifted in November after the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases dropped below 20 per 100,000 population.
“We are following the state guidance,” Kamlesh Kaur, a spokeswoman for county public health, said Monday afternoon. “We recommend our community members to wear face coverings and follow the other recommendations to stay protected.”
The other recommendations include washing hands regularly and safe distancing. The county also continues to promote coronavirus vaccination and booster shots as a way to avoid a serious case of COVID-19.
State officials cited an increase in coronavirus cases following the Thanksgiving holiday as a reason for the new universal mask order.
In addition to masking, the state now will require those without proof of vaccination attending events with more than 1,000 people to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within one day. The previous guidelines required a test within 72 hours.
The state also will recommend that those who travel in or out of California get tested for COVID-19 within three to five days. The state guidance comes ahead of anticipated holiday gatherings that could drive up cases.
The case rates in some counties remain very low, such as in the Bay Area. But other counties, especially those where vaccine rates are low, are seeing a greater rate of increase that could pressure hospital capacity. Ghaly pointed to rising cases in Riverside, San Bernardino, Modoc and Inyo counties and the Central Valley.
Prior to Thanksgiving, the state was experiencing roughly 9.6 cases per 100,000 residents per day, that number is now 14 cases per 100,000, Ghaly said.
The Stanislaus County case rate dropped as low as 11.8 per 100,000 on Dec. 2 before rising again to 16.4 per 100,000 on Friday. The infection rate Monday was 14.7 per 100,000.
Kaur said the level of disease transmission has essentially plateaued and is not increasing rapidly at this time.
Local hospitals are caring for about 80 patients infected with COVID-19, including 23 in intensive care. COVID-19 hospitalizations have been four times that amount when surges have been at rampant levels during the pandemic.
Supermarkets and retail stores in Stanislaus County have typically complied with COVID-19 mask orders by posting signs instructing customers to wear them while inside the premises.
Kaur said county public health does not have any plans for a new county mask order and residents should follow the state guidance.
