County On Track To Ease Outdoor Masking Requirements, Health Officials Say

ENCINO (CBSLA) - The light at the end of this latest COVID surge may be getting brighter, with the director of  the Los Angeles County Department of Health saying the county is on track to start dropping some masking requirements.

"There's a number of reasons right now why it makes sense to keep the masks on," said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of LA County Department of Public Health.

Ferrer said COVID transmission rates remain high, but the infection rate is dropping and so are hospitalizations. They're now below 2,500, which means we're on track to start phasing out the mask mandate.

"As long as we don't see an increase, we could launch post-surge actions next Wednesday," the county health director said.

That would mean no more masks at large outdoor events and could also mean no more masks outdoors at schools and childcare centers, but the indoor mask mandate remains in effect.

"Transmission is still too high to life indoor masking in any setting. We have some of the highest case numbers we are seeing. If it wasn't the fact that we are coming out of the Omicron surge where the rates are extraordinarily high, we would all be deeply troubled today by my numbers, which are 6,300 new cases," Ferrer said.

However, she added that she does think the county is on track to end the indoor mask mandate soon, if the trends continue.

"So, if everything goes well, sometime by the end of March, we should able to more safely lift the requirements on indoor masking, but for some people, keeping those masks on makes a lot of sense," she said.

Across the country, mask mandates are being lifted. In New York City, businesses and entertainment venues now have the option of requiring face coverings, though masks are still required on public transportation. In Massachusetts, schools are going mask free by the end of the month. Here in LA, many see the mask as the way to stay safe.

"It would be better to stay safe and have the mask, as opposed to just a precaution, especially if you have older loved ones, younger kids, that can get sick easily, faster and all that stuff. So, it's more for their safety versus people like me. I'm a pretty healthy person," said Aracely Perez from Canoga Park.

As for when kids in LA County can go without masks, Dr. Ferrer said she is waiting for state guidance, and some parents are saying that it might be best to just stay the course for now.

"The whole class gets infected. When someone comes with COVID and it's undetected, everyone gets it and everyone stays home, and it just shuts down the whole school," said parent Nam Nguyen.

There are of course opposing views on the mask issue, parents who are angry their kids have to wear them, but the consensus among medical experts is the mask does slow or stop the spread of COVID.