Omicron Surge Forces Some Bay Area Counties to Revise Indoor Mask Rules

2 years ago 316

COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant proceed to summation crossed the state and successful the Bay Area.

In California, Omicron is being blamed for astir 70% of existent cases crossed the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom said precocious that California is better positioned to grip the surge than it was a twelvemonth ago, erstwhile superior cases strained hospitals and morgues to the breaking point, and is little affected truthful acold than galore different states.

Here's a look astatine Bay Area counties announcing changes to disguise rules. The counties antecedently scaled backmost rules anterior to the surge successful COVID-19 cases.

Note Santa Clara and San Mateo counties person an "all indoor disguise rule" successful place.

Alameda County

Alameda County continues to necessitate masks successful astir indoor settings and officials corroborate they are seeing a accelerated summation of COVID-19 cases.

"We are reviewing our section amendment to the look masking bid and volition supply our assemblage with much accusation this week," said Neetu Balram with the Alameda County Public Health Department.

Contra Costa County

Everyone successful the Contra Costa County starting Wednesday volition person to deterioration a disguise astatine each indoor businesses, careless of vaccination status.

For the past respective weeks, vaccinated radical astatine galore of the county's gyms, churches and officers were allowed to permission their masks off, but the region said the caller variant has made that excessively risky.

"The omicron variant is precise contagious, and we present cognize that anyone, careless of vaccination status, tin dispersed this variant to different people," said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa County's lawman wellness officer. "We expect the lawsuit complaint and hospitalization numbers to summation implicit the coming weeks. To trim spread, cases and hospitalizations, we each request to deterioration masks anytime we are successful an indoor nationalist setting."