Mask mandate: New LA County health order requires face coverings indoors regardless of COVID vaccination status

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Citing continued increases in transmission of COVID-19, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is re-implementing a mandate requiring residents to wear masks while indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.

The county previously only recommended mask-wearing indoors. The new mandate will take effect at 11:59 p.m. Saturday night, officials announced.

The announcement was made during a virtual briefing on Thursday afternoon. It comes exactly one month after California dropped its statewide mask mandate for vaccinated people.

Some exceptions will apply, health officials said, similar to masking requirements that were in place before June 15. Additional details about those exemptions were not immediately disclosed.

The L.A. County Health Officer, Dr. Muntu Davis, said the new health order will be published in its entirety on the website covid19.lacounty.gov no later than Friday.

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Davis said the county is “not where we need to be” in terms of vaccinations against the virus, as evidenced by seven straight days of new cases numbers that topped 1,000. On Thursday, the county reported 1,537 new infections, the highest number since early March.

Asked what additional restrictions health officials might take if the rise in COVID-19 cases worsens, Davis said: “Everything is on the table.”