SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KERO) — The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is now recommending "mask use for indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status." This in response to an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as a result of the Delta variant.
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its mask guidance saying vaccinated people should resume wearing masks while indoors in areas where the spread of COVID-19 is high.
“The Delta variant has caused a sharp increase in hospitalizations and case rates across the state. We are recommending masking in indoor public places to slow the spread while we continue efforts to get more Californians vaccinated,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer.
Under the CDC’s new guidance, more than 90% of California’s population is currently in areas designated as substantial or high transmission.
The new guidance by the CDC backtracks on a policy set in May that said that people who are fully vaccinated can safely go without masks and social distancing, as studies showed that it was rare for those vaccinated to pass the virus on to others.
According to the CDPH, "California continues to work to increase vaccination rates across the state. This week, California took the nation-leading step of requiring state and health care employees to provide proof of vaccination or submit to regular testing. California had also led with its K-12 school guidance, requiring universal masking and other prevention measures as schools fully open for the upcoming school year."
