OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 5:19 PM PT – Friday, November 18, 2022
Los Angeles County is once again recommending residents to mask up. This is due to the fact that COVID-19 infections within the City of Angels have sharply risen since the start of November.
On Thursday, officials shifted back to “strongly recommending” mask-wearing in all indoor public settings. The recommendation is not ruled as a mask mandate.
County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis spoke about the new recommendation.
“Now it is strongly recommended that all individuals wear a high-quality mask that fits well in the following settings: in public indoor spaces; when using public transit, including buses, ride-shares, taxis and medical transport; correctional and detention facilities; and homeless and emergency shelters,” Davis said.
Over the past few months, indoor mask wearing by Los Angeles County residents has been a matter of personal preference. However, masks have been required in all healthcare facilities, congregate-care facilities and for anyone who was exposed to the virus within the past 10 days.
This comes amid a rise in the county’s seven-day average of new COVID-19 infections. The County is reporting about 1,500 new cases per day. That number is up from the 1,300 new cases per day that was reported over a week ago.
L.A. Healthcare officials have teased the return of the mask mandate since this summer.