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| Photo courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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With COVID-19 numbers again declining, Los Angeles County health officials Friday rescinded a mask-wearing requirement for staff and visitors at licensed health care facilities.
The mandate was imposed in late December because COVID-related hospital admissions had risen to the “medium” level as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Friday, however, the reported admission rate fell to 6.7 per 100,000 residents, below the threshold of 10 per 100,000, putting the county back into the “low” level.
“Effective today (Friday), masking is no longer mandated for all staff and visitors at these (health care) facilities,” according to the county Department of Public Health. “Health care personnel in licensed health care facilities who have not received both the updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines must continue to wear a mask while in contact with patients or working in patient-care areas for the duration of the respiratory virus season, which ends April 30th for the purposes of this the Health Officer Order. Public Health continues to strongly recommend that all visitors to and staff working in licensed healthcare facilities wear a mask while in contact with patients or working in patient care areas.”
Health officials said other COVID metrics in Los Angeles County have also been falling from the peak levels recorded several weeks ago, but overall numbers still remain elevated. In addition to hospitalizations, concentrations of COVID detected in wastewater streams have also declined. The county is seeing an average of five deaths per day related to COVID, according to the county.
“Although major indicators suggest transmission is slowing, it remains important for all residents, and especially older residents, to continue practicing common sense precautions to protect themselves from COVID-19,” according to the county Department of Public Health. “These include staying home when sick, testing, seeking treatment and getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine.”
