California’s statewide mask mandate will lift next week, leaving vaccinated Newport Beach residents to keep their faces uncovered while indoors. (Rachel Nunes/Patch)NEWPORT BEACH, CA — California will lift its statewide mask mandate for indoor public places next week, health officials reported. The move comes as the omicron-fueled winter surge rapidly recedes across the state.The new policy will go into effect on Feb. 15. After that date, Newport Beach residents vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer have to wear masks in indoor or outdoor settings, unless specified by local city or county officials. COVID-19 hospitalizations and case rates in Orange County trended downward throughout January and the first week of February, according to the latest health data. Find out what’s happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.Let’s go!While hospitalizations and case rates decline, Orange County’s January death toll eclipsed the worst months of last summer’s surge, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. The county reported 28 more COVID-19-related deaths since Friday, with 24 of them occurring in January.Find out what’s happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.Let’s go!”Omicron has loosened its hold on California, vaccines for children under 5 are around the corner and access to COVID-19 treatments is improving,” Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás J. Aragón said in a news release. “With things moving in the right direction, we are making responsible modifications to COVID-19 prevention measures while also continuing to develop a longer-term action plan for the state.” The lifting of the statewide mask mandate primarily affects counties that don’t have their own, which includes Orange, San Diego and Riverside counties and parts of the central valley. Per the California Department of Public Health, everyone is required to wear masks in: Indoor public spaces (until February 15, 2022)Workplaces (until February 15, 2022)Public transitHealthcare settings (including long term care facilities)Adult and senior care facilitiesIndoors in K-12 schools, childcare and other youth settingsState and local correctional facilities and detention centersHomeless shelters, emergency shelters and cooling centers Masks are required for unvaccinated people and recommended for everyone in places of worship.Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration brought back the masking mandate in mid-December as omicron cases climbed through the holiday season, extending the requirement through Feb. 15. California passed 80,000 pandemic deaths and 8 million confirmed positive cases last week. In announcing the change on social media Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom noted that “cases have decreased 65 percent since the omicron peak.” “Stay vigilant, get vaccinated, get boosted,” Newsom said. Related: Getting Free At-Home COVID Tests In CA: 5 Things To KnowVaccine Mandate Proposed For CA Schoolchildren: Readers Weigh InFree N95 Masks Available At CA CVS, Costco And Walgreens Soon The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.ThankReply Share
