LA County Health Director Says Indoor Mask Mandate Could Be Lifted Friday
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County could lift its indoor mask-wearing mandate on Friday, according to Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer.
The move would align the county with the state's updated mask guidance that took effect Tuesday.
With the mask mandate lifted, people in Los Angeles County would no longer have to wear masks at indoor businesses.
L.A. County is one of the last county's in the state that has yet to align with the new masking rules.
The state last month dropped its indoor mask-wearing mandate for vaccinated people. On Tuesday, it also dropped the mandate for unvaccinated people.
Ferrer had originally said the county wanted to wait until the local virus-transmission rate fell out of the "high" category and maintained the lower level for at least two weeks.
On Tuesday, Ferrer told the county Board of Supervisors that L.A. County will likely fall from the "high" virus activity category to the "low" category this week.
"On Friday, when we move into medium or low risk, just about all of these masking requirements, except for the ones mandated by state or federal government, become strong recommendations," Ferrer said.
"It's about time they lift it," said L.A. County resident Dara Davidson. "I can't believe all the other counties around here, Ventura County, Orange County you can walk in without a mask."
Masks will continue to be required in locations where they are mandated by federal and state orders, including health care facilities, transit centers, airports, aboard public transit, in correctional facilities and at homeless shelters and long-term care facilities.
Masks are also still required indoors at K-12 schools, however, the state announced Monday that it will lift that requirement as of March 12.
On Tuesday, the county reported another 58 COVID-19 deaths and 1,093 new cases.
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
