As Delta Variant Circulates, Public Health Recommends Masking Indoors as a Precaution

With increased circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health or Public Health strongly recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places as a precautionary measure. In the week ending June 12, Delta variants comprised of nearly half of all variants sequenced in Los Angeles County. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC noted that Delta variants are now responsible for about one in every five new infections across the country, up from approximately one in every 10 the week before.

Public Health strongly recommends people wear masks indoors in settings such as grocery or retail stores; theaters and family entertainment centers, and workplaces when you don’t know everyone’s vaccination status. Until we better understand how and to who the Delta variant is spreading, everyone should focus on maximum protection with minimum interruption to routine as all businesses operate without other restrictions, like physical distancing and capacity limits.

Fully vaccinated people appear to be well protected from infections with Delta variants, however people with only one vaccine dose of Pfizer or Moderna are not as well-protected. The smaller number of COVID-19 infections identified in people who are fully vaccinated have been mild illnesses.

For masks to work properly, they need to completely cover your nose and mouth and fit snugly against the sides of your face and around your nose.  If you aren’t fully vaccinated, your mask is one of the most powerful tools you have to protect yourself and other unvaccinated people. This is especially true when you are in an indoor or crowded outdoor space. If you are not fully vaccinated and work in a setting where you have sustained close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, consider wearing a respirator for additional protection.

Public Health has confirmed 3 new deaths and 259 new cases of COVID-19. To date, Public Health identified 1,249,560 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,480 deaths. There are 238 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 7,013,000 individuals with 17% of people testing positive. Today’s daily test positivity rate is 0.9%.

Anyone 12 and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated. To find a vaccination site near you, to make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over 65, you can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or scheduling a home-visit if you are homebound.  Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

Details: www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.