RELATED: Here's what the end of COVID -19 emergency means in San Francisco. I think there is a potential for the cases to rise, Chinsio-Kwong said, noting a new subvariant of Omicron in Europe. Watch FOX 35 News for the latest updates. But Noymer pointed to the number of deaths so far in July and said, "That's a lot of deaths for a respiratory virus in the summertime.''. There was a slight drop in the positivity rate from 3.4 to 3.2 percent and hospitalizations from 196 to 194, while ICU admissions increased slightly from 59 to 63 per day. (Revised March 24, 2023). They issued the guidance, and they suddenly put the enforcement on the backs of local school boards, with really no information on what that means.. The order comes as the per capita rate of new coronavirus cases in California has jumped 47% in the past two weeks. "It's more of the same,'' Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist and UC Irvine professor of population health and disease prevention, told City News Service on Friday. If you have severe symptoms or are at high risk of serious disease or have questions concerning care, you should contact a health care provider for available treatments. Californians have done this before, and we of course believe we can do it again.. But county officials including public health officials have repeatedly said they dont have the power to enforce masks. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @ElattarHosam. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer), During recent graduation ceremonies, masks were available at schools in the Placentia-Yorba Linda School District, including these masks emblazoned with the mascot for Valencia High. The Guidance will be updated on April 3, 2023, utilizing personal risk, local COVID-19 transmission, and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Community levels to guide the use of face masks. But for parents like Kambiz Shoarinejad, who has two sons enrolled at Tustin Unified, the face masks make sense. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced that he has amended his facial covering executive order. Though Greg Franklin, superintendent of the Tustin Unified School District, agreed that the state created confusion among a lot of people, he doesnt view the current mask rules as dramatically different from last year. April 21, 2023. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. A coalition of Orange County superintendents last Friday, have called on Newsom to announce a criteria for easing school masking requirements, according to the Orange County Department of Education. For those at the highest risk, there antiviral treatments available to prevent serious illness.". On one side are parents who welcome the safety of masks, especially with COVID-19 spiking again in Southern California and around the country. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG), Jalopy Eirasqiom, left, allows Jacqueline Gabriel, right, to adjust his cap before the Valencia High School graduation ceremonies which occurred at Bradford Stadium in Placentia, California on Thursday, June 17, 2021. If you test positive for COVID, you only have to isolate for five days, not ten, as long as you don't have a fever and your symptoms are improving. Like This Free Civic News? Gavin Newsom noted that "cases have decreased 65 percent since the omicron peak.". San Bernardino and Riverside counties are currently in the "medium" category. The newest New York state mandate took effect Monday, with masks required in all indoor public places unless the businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement. UPDATE: Orange County Board of Education will sue Newsom over face masks Other parents are frustrated by the mandate, saying they believe masks pose a risk to their child's mental health. Additionally, all Medicare and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers are to follow the CDCs COVID-19 vaccination requirements stated at. ORANGE COUNTY, CA California will lift its statewide mask mandate for indoor public places next week, health officials reported. Entering what he described as the fourth big surge since the pandemic began, Korber said the tricky part will be seeing the variants impact on health care workers who are on the front lines. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Effective immediately: Physical distancing will be reduced from 6-feet to 3-feet in all settings, Fully vaccinated individuals should follow all updated guidelines for facial coverings that were announced by the CDC on Tuesday. The Orange County Health Care Agency reported 368,432 total cases as of Thursday with 6,266 positive cases; two new deaths were reported Thursday. Share your thoughts in a community opinion piece. Mask wearing is not required outdoors, Chau says. But later in the day, the agency issued a second statement that kept the mandate in place and gave individual districts leeway on how to enforce it but removed the words must exclude from its guideline. But we are also requiring masks for all individuals, during all times, at all indoor activities in schools. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot. A new group called Let Them Breathe has helped anti-mandate parents express their view to school boards, organizing recent rallies outside Orange Unified and Tustin Unified districts. In addition to updated mask guidance, the State issued a new order requiring certain high-risk health care facilities, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, high-risk congregate settings and other health care settings, to verify vaccine status of all workers. ORANGE COUNTY, CA California will lift its statewide mask mandate for indoor public places next week, health officials reported. 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. The school system issued a mask mandate for adults during the COVID-19 omicron surge in January. The new policy was decided at a school board meeting on Tuesday and will go into effect. We hope that those are few and far between, that most people see the purpose of doing this over the next month as something to protect them and their communities during a very tough time.. CLAYTON CHAU, MD, PhD, MASL Many of these parents argue that they, not the government, should decide if their child does or doesnt wear a mask at school. Starting April 3, masks will no longer be required in. "Stay vigilant, get vaccinated, get boosted," Newsom said. Cases began rising over the holiday season and all ZIP Codes across the county have high case rates, mirroring a national trend. Gavin Newsom is taking actions that go far beyond what any other governor or any other state has done., California joins other states with similar indoor mask mandates, including Washington, Oregon, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, Hawaii and New York. But how well OC dealt with the mask mandate is unclear with county public health officials largely taking a hands off approach to enforcement. School districts have always been in charge of enforcement, Franklin said. Some parents are saying uphold the mask mandate. Others are saying dont enforce it., I dont know if well get further guidance, he added. Orange County Schools recently voted to lift its mask mandate for students 72 hours after the county government rescinded its measure. The state is also shortening isolation time. You can find those guidelines, Phase 2 will begin when 50% of the county's population 16 and older have received their 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Face coverings for outdoor activities will be lifted for all individuals. The county has 22% of its ICU beds available and 69% of its ventilators. We want our children to be healthy. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced that he has amended his facial covering executive order. Here's what the end of COVID -19 emergency means in San Francisco. We must comply with face masks, and local boards cannot adopt less restrictive measures than what is mandated, said Los Alamitos Unified Superintendent Andrew Pulver. "I believe we will continue to do so. More than 6,500 staff infections at skilled nursing facility have occurred throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mandate was expected to end on Jan. 15 but when case counts skyrocketed, state officials extended the mandate to Feb. 15. Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication. Mask Mandate to be amended March 7th, 2022 to No Longer Require Masks in Public Spaces Orange County leaders say decision is contingent on COVID-19 Community Levels. The new changes are expected to go into effect on Feb. 16 according to the states public health department. We still dont know. After that date, Orange County 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. Health officials in the Bay Area have not outlined criteria to reestablish a mask mandate. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news. At a Monday news conference, Secretary of the state Health and Human Services department, Dr. Mark Ghaly said they wont change the mask mandate at schools just yet but they will reassess data at the end of the month on whether to lift the requirement. For now, it looks like kids who show up without masks wont be allowed to sit in classes with kids who are wearing them. The CDC's updates include the following: An interval of up to 8 weeks between the first and second doses of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer/Comirnaty or Moderna/SpikeVax) may be preferable for some people. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a mask could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a mask without assistance. Starting April 3, masks will no longer be required in indoor high-risk and health care settings. Chinsio-Kwong urged folks to go to local coronavirus testing sites instead of visiting emergency rooms and hospitals to avoid inundating staff so health care workers can help others in urgent situations. The vast majority of admissions are unvaccinated. 2, 2022 Effective Monday, March 7, 2022, Orange County will no longer require masks in public, indoor spaces if key COVID-19 metrics continue to . Roxana Kopetman is a staff writer at The Orange County Register. Driver rescued after car plunges more than 500 feet off NorCal cliff, Authorities continue search for Texas man suspected of killing 5, Lakers, LeBron James to play Warriors, Steph Curry in NBA showdown. Masking in schools has allowed all schools to remain open, they say, and there is no risk of the state shutting down if people wear their masks. Los Alamitos Unified School District trustees have also enforced the state mask mandate at their meeting and ended up meeting in an alternate room in January when people at their meeting refused to comply with the requirement. However, the OC Health Care Agency said indoor masking requirements were not yet on the horizon, in a statement to NBCLA July 15. You are fever-free for at least 24 hours without taking fever reducing treatments, AND. 5:40 pm. All county residents who are six months of age or older are strongly recommended to obtain the seasonal flu vaccination unless a medical or religious exemption applies. lawmakers champion bills raising penalties for fentanyl dealers and accountability from online platforms, Mallard, shot in neck and cheek, gets second chance at life, Boats set sail from Balboa Pier to Ensenada for 75th annual race. County of Orange, OC Health Officer's Orders & Recommendations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Long Term Care and Residential Care Facilities for Elderly, https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/Non_Emergency_Regulations/, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Guidance-on-Isolation-and-Quarantine-for-COVID-19-Contact-Tracing.aspx, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#children, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Order-of-the-State-Public-Health-Officer-Health-Care-Worker-Vaccine-Requirement.aspx, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Order-of-the-State-Public-Health-Officer-Adult-Care-Facilities-and-Direct-Care-Worker-Vaccine-Requirement.aspx, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Order-of-the-State-Public-Health-Officer-Correctional-Facilities-and-Detention-Centers-Health-Care-Worker-Vaccination-Order.aspx, https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/revised-guidance-staff-vaccination-requirements. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong), Graduates line up six feet apart with face masks on as the Dana Hills high school holds a walk through procession where 600 students remain in their vehicles, then get to walk across a formal graduation stage Friday, July 24, 2020 in Dana Point during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data is starting to show that the vaccine is fairly protective against the latest variant.. Some parents in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District have even threatened to sue teachers over mask enforcement. Join the conversation:In lieu of comments, we encourage readers to engage with us across a variety of mediums. Learning their ABCs is important, she said. This is a mandate from the state that we have to follow., RELATED: Placentia-Yorba Linda school board wants face masks to be optional, Two graduates from Godinez Fundamental High School in Santa Ana Unified School District smile at the camera during their graduation ceremony Friday, June 11, 2011 at Angel Stadium. "Delta still remains the single most sequenced strain that is causing all of our hospitalizations," Chinsio-Kwong noted. School district officials, including Pulver, say the California Department of Health confused parents on July 13, when it issued two statements about masks at school. All the latest on Orange County from Orange County. CHIEF OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, MATTHEW ZAHN, MD ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Orange County Public Schools will mandate masks for students for 60 days. The responsibility of enforcing the mandate was up to businesses and the community, Chinsio-Kwong said. Eighteen percent of all COVID-19 county resident deaths have occurred in SNF residents. A few weeks ago, Mayor Jerry . Quick ended up resigning in June 2020 and county Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau walked back the mandate. Even so, Ghaly said hospitals in several counties with low vaccination rates are still struggling with lots of patients, including parts of Southern California in Riverside, San Bernardino, Mono and Inyo counties. A violation of a health order is subject to fine, imprisonment, or both (California Health and Safety Code section 120295). In announcing the change on social media Monday, Gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 data tracker. If L.A. County stays at the "high" category for two weeks straight, officials say it would trigger a new indoor mask mandate. Orange County has also seen an uptick in new cases and hospitalizations, according to the county's weekly update, released on Tuesday. VIDEO: Orange County mayor announces changes to social distancing guidelines, timeline for phasing out mask mandate By Q McCray, WFTV.com and Katlyn Brieskorn, WFTV.com April 28, 2021 at 11:47 am EDT "Hopefully, it doesn't get much worse than this and it is fairly mild.". The increasing case counts "indicates we're heading into a surge," Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said Friday. They will also be required to be worn at homeless shelters, prisons, senior care facilities, health care settings and schools, Chinsio-Kwong said during last weeks press conference. COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, who ran against Newsom for governor during a an unsuccessful recall election earlier this year, has routinely tried and failed to get the Democratic-dominated Legislature to end the states emergency declaration. Also changing on April 3, the state will no longer require health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We're all in this together.". Even if people have been vaccinated, the mandate calls for mask-wearing in all indoor public spaces. If symptoms, other than fever, are not improving, you should continue to isolate through Day 10 or until symptoms are improving. For Health Care Workers, Adult and Senior Care and Direct Care Workers and those persons who provide health care in Correctional settings: All persons working in these settings should follow the State Health Officers orders and the CDPHs Guidance, found at the following links. Gallegos, a pre-school teacher at Magnolia School District, said shes looking forward to children her own and her students returning to campus. The Orders and Strong Recommendations issued on September 23, 2022, are no longer in effect as of March 24, 2023. The death toll for October stands at 125, 195 for September and 180 for August.In contrast, the death toll before the more contagious Delta variant-fueled summer surge was 31 in July, 19 for June, 26 for May, 46 for April, 200 for March and 617 for February. They are not the only ones who have rallied against the states school mask mandate. This article originally appeared on the Orange County Patch, Search for self managed wealth investment accounts, are exempt from wearing masks at all times. Back in December, state public health officials announced a one month reinstatement of an indoor mask requirement amid concerns over an Omicron winter surge. 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 Orange County Board of Education has also tried to sue the state over the school mask mandate, but their petition was denied by the California Supreme Court around a week after it was filed. Gavin Newsom's mask mandate goes back into play, Orange County's COVID-19 hospitalizations remained relatively stable. Those areas include health care, long-term care, and correctional facilities as well as homeless, emergency and warming and cooling centers. SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Orange County health experts are once again keeping a close eye on COVID-19 cases as the county moves to "high" community transmission. And while some districts, like Tustin Unified and Capistrano Unified, plan to continue the virtual schooling that they offered even before the pandemic, others will cut back on online instruction. UPDATE: Orange County Board of Education will sue Newsom over face masks. At this point, we are here to provide recommendations and really safeguard our community and its still a community responsibility to maintain a mandate.. Chinsio-Kwong, the countys deputy health officer, said that its important that masks are worn at schools, noting that kids 5-11 years old are the least vaccinated group eligible for a shot.As of January 31, for ages five to 11, only 33% of that population received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, she said during last Wednesdays news briefing. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness . I really ask everyone in Orange County to be a little more careful than theyve been moving forward for the next month or two to limit how fast this spreads.. We have safe, effective vaccines and boosters, and now we have treatments. Starting Wednesday, California and Orange County residentswhether vaccinated or unvaccinatedwill again need to wear masks in . Among the changes announced by the California Department of Public Health is the end of statewide mask requirements in healthcare and other indoor high-risk settings including correctional. President Biden signed into law a House bill on April 10 that immediately ended the COVID-19 presidential declaration of national emergency established in March 2020. According to the state, the following individuals are exempt from wearing masks at all times: Persons younger than two years old. The county has logged 199 new coronavirus cases, raising the cumulative count to 317,752 since the pandemic began. Mask Mandate Returns to Orange County Wednesday by Spencer Custodio Dec 13, 2021 Updated Jan 3, 2022 Why you can trust Voice of OC. REASONS FOR THE ORDERS AND STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS, Regina Chinsio-Kwong, DO Early in the day, the agency said schools must exclude students if they come to class without a mask and refuse to wear one provided by the school. Some parents have even threatened to sue teachers over mask enforcement. If any portion of this document or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of the document, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect. Noymer emphasized even with masks dropping, people can and should wear masks. Statewide and in O.C., more people have required hospital care for non-COVID issues this winter. This particular variant is aggressive, infecting everybody and even if youve been vaccinated, youre likely to get it, said Dr. Timothy Korber, medical director of Fountain Valley Regional Hospitals Emergency Department, in an interview Thursday. Still, that mandate comes with a flip-side: School districts in California must offer students who refuse to wear a mask the opportunity to do an independent study program. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 data tracker, Los Angeles County's COVID-19 community level is now in the "high" category. "Right now we're certainly. But what is most important is what they learn and see on the playground.. City News Service contributed to this report. The Orders contained in this document may be enforced by the Orange County Sheriff or Chiefs of Police pursuant to California Health and Safety Code section 101029, and California Government Code sections 26602 and 41601. The government should not be parenting, said McKeeman, a mother of three students in the Carlsbad Unified School District in San Diego County. To help prevent the spread of droplets containing COVID-19, all county residents and visitors should refer to the CDPHs Guidance for the Use of Face Masks. Placentia resident Amber Schubert said she is pleased that her school district, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, is taking a stance in favor of mask choice. The Guidance, effective April 3, 2023 provides recommendations which apply to the following groups: Face Mask Use and Skilled Nursing Facilities. The newly logged fatalities increase the overall death toll to 5,829. Gavin Newsoms administration announced the new mandate will start Wednesday and last until Jan. 15. County parents have also been rallying at school board meetings against masks and people have been holding protests against mask requirements. Its unclear if those requests will gain traction. We have received 19 complaints from chatbot responses on the Public Health Services (PHS) website since January 18th, she wrote. Its harming (childrens) mental health, their academic progress and their social development. LA County moved Thursday into the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "high'' virus-activity level, and if it remains that way for two weeks, indoor masking is coming back July 29. SAN FRANCISCO -- California's COVID masking rules are changing according to new information from the state's department of public health. "Right now we're certainly seeing a surge in cases," said Dr. Matt Zahn, deputy health officer for the Orange County Healthcare Agency. Currently, the OC Fair website recommends masks indoors. Here's What We Know So Far, Teen Accused of Killing Woman With Rock Took Photo as Memento', Prosecutors Say. All rights reserved, Los Angeles County faces a very likely indoor mask mandate, Post-Prom Fight in Palmdale Ends in Gunfire, 25-Year-Old Makes $200/Hour Without a Bachelor's Degree: I Work Less Than 6 Hours a Day', Hollywood Braces for Possible Writers Strike as Talks Continue, How Much Could You Get in New $725M Facebook Settlement? The COVID-19 federal public health emergencya separate declaration by the Secretary of Health and Human Services from January 2020remains in effect for now. All rights reserved. After COVID-19 cases continued to spike in Florida and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings recommended that indoor mask mandates return, Disney complied. As case rates jumped in recent weeks, the federal Centers for Disease Control changed its guidance, urging masks indoors for all students and teachers, regardless of their vaccination status. At least nine O.C. The county had 20.1% of its ICU beds available and 59.5% of its ventilators as of Monday. What Southern California counties lost, gained most people during height of pandemic? As of Sunday, 6,308 people have been killed by the virus, according to the OC Health Care Agency. The move comes as the omicron-fueled winter surge rapidly. Three were in September and one was in August. Korber got choked up describing how his team stepped up for nearly two years to help. Visitors wearing masks at Newport Beach Pier on Thursday. California has reported an average of 54,695 new cases per day over the last week, the highest rolling total in the nearly two-year pandemic, according to data compiled by The Los Angeles Times. Her other son, she said, was shamed into wearing one. Local health officials get concerned . While Buck enforced the mask mandate at their meetings, Placentia-Yorba Linda school board members Leandra Blades and Shawn Youngblood, have criticized the mask enforcement in their own district classrooms as inconsistent.An attempt earlier this month by Blades to get the board to approve a resolution against removing kids from classrooms failed. Orange County has required masks indoors since the COVID-19 numbers started to rise last summer. He wants residents to be cautious and if you arearound someone you don't know, assume they are not vaccinated. Wake County's mandate ends at 5 p.m. Friday. That said, this is a critical time where we have a tool that we know has worked and can work..