Post-holiday case surge raises specter of mask mandate returning in Los Angeles
COVID-19 cases are surging in the Bay Area and California since Thanksgiving, as holiday gatherings appear to have fueled the virus’ spread among a pandemic-weary public no longer masking or lining up for the latest vaccine booster.
In Los Angeles County, where transmission levels also are high and the community level medium, the sharp rise in case and hospitalization rates has raised the specter of reinstating an indoor face mask requirement. And adding to the misery, influenza and RSV — or respiratory syncytial virus, which can be dangerous for infants — are spiking. The CDC now lists California among 11 states with the highest influenza-like illness activity. And Kaiser Permanente Northern California reports RSV admissions at the highest level since the winter of 2017-2018, though they appear to have peaked.
“Many people emotionally have moved on — that’s completely understandable — and are going about their lives,” Cody acknowledged. “But I feel it’s important to let the public know that the weather’s not good out there. There’s lots of virus circulating, and there are things you can do — get a flu shot, get a COVID booster, wear mask indoors. We’ve got not just COVID but flu and RSV, and masks help protect you from all of them.
“We’ve heard of so many people who got sick either with COVID, RSV or otherwise over the holiday,” Foster said. “We’re trying to be extra careful since our girls already caught COVID once at school.”
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