Bay Area Counties Reinstate Mask Mandates in Select Settings Amidst COVID-19 Surge Concerns
Several counties in the Bay Area have reinstated precautionary mask mandates this week in certain settings, as California’s COVID-19 metrics remain stable but concerns of a surge persist during the holiday season. Alameda, Contra Costa, Sonoma, and San Mateo counties have issued orders requiring health workers in patient care settings to wear masks throughout the winter respiratory virus season.
In addition to these counties, Santa Clara County and Marin County have extended similar policies to include patients and visitors in patient-care areas. San Francisco enforces year-round masking for healthcare providers and jail staff, but not patients or visitors.
The main goal behind these measures is to mitigate the potential impact of a “tripledemic” of COVID-19, flu, and RSV on healthcare systems. Dr. Karen Smith, Sonoma County’s interim health officer, explained that respiratory viruses typically surge between late fall and spring, posing a risk to vulnerable groups and leading to increased staff absenteeism.
These mask mandates are the first of their kind in the Bay Area since the lifting of previous requirements in April. Previously, most local healthcare facilities had the authority to establish their own masking rules. The new precautions are specifically designed for high-risk environments, and it is unlikely that broader mask mandates will be reintroduced for the general public, as state and local health authorities encourage individuals to assess their own personal risk.
California’s COVID-19 metrics have largely stabilized following a surge in late summer, although hospitalizations briefly increased last week. According to state health department data, the average daily number of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals has fallen by approximately 14% over the past two weeks. However, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, remains at low to moderate risk levels in most Bay Area wastewater samples, with localized pockets of higher concentration.
While influenza activity remains low in the state, flu season is expected to pick up later in the year. The percentage of RSV-related hospital admissions is stable and well below last year’s figures at this time.
Despite COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths being significantly lower than their pandemic peaks nationally, recent data from the CDC indicates that over 16,000 people in the United States are still being hospitalized each week, with approximately 1,200 deaths.
In preparation for the potential surge, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has forecasted a moderate COVID-19 season, with expected hospitalizations similar to last winter’s peak. RSV activity aligns with pre-pandemic seasonal patterns, and influenza hospitalizations are projected to fall within the range observed before the pandemic.
Public health officials are urging Americans to stay updated with their vaccinations ahead of the surge. However, vaccination rates for the updated COVID-19 vaccine remain low, with only about 4.5% of the U.S. population, or roughly 15 million people, having received the updated vaccine as of October 27. This is significantly lower than the 23 million people who had received boosters at the same time last year. Authorities had hoped for higher uptake, similar to the annual flu shot, but a bumpy rollout and a lack of concern about the pandemic have hindered demand, even among the most vulnerable demographics.
In California, vaccination rates among nursing home residents lag behind other states, with only 8.5% being up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines as of October 27, according to CDC data.
With the reintroduction of mask mandates and the importance of vaccinations emphasized by public health officials, the hope is to mitigate the impact of a possible surge in respiratory illnesses during the holiday season.