United States: Americans are showing their outrage as the official mandate to enforce Covid masks slowly comes into force through California.
San Francisco, Sonoma County is now the latest to bring back the mask mandates for all healthcare workers but not for visitors.
Presently, the region has been offering treatments and checkups in more than 20 hospitals/clinics serving more than 480,000 residents and visitors, with the largest being the Santa Rosa Memorial.
More about the news
Dr Karen Smith, the county’s interim health director, issued the order “given the rising risk of respiratory virus-related illnesses, such as COVID and flu.”
The order will be sustained throughout the rest of the respiratory virus season, from November 18th through April 30th.
Although Dr. Smith showed concerns, the latest report from the Californian Department of Public Health showed that COVID and influenza activity is ‘currently low’ in the state, Daily Mail reported.
Moreover, in its most recent bulletin, the CDC reports that 4.8 percent of the US population has an active Covid infection.
Public reaction to mask mandate
Because of the recent developments in the usage of masks within Sonoma, many individuals have reacted to the measures as ‘stupid’ and perceived as a ‘joke’ on social networks.
One Facebook user described the mandate as “Here we go again. Sonoma County reinstates The Useless Patriotic Magical Mask Mandate for health care workers. Are forced vaccinations next? Masks don’t reduce COVID.”
Further, another user showed anger and said, “Foolish when they were deemed to do nothing.”
However, there are some people who also support the idea of a mask mandate. One comment said, “Good. The idea to protect patients is always a good one.”
On a similar note, since the start of the month, the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula resumed using masks for similar causes.
Which regions have mandated masks so far?
Other counties with the mask requirements are San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Napa, and San Mateo.
Altogether, these areas combine housing over 2.8 million residents. The requirement is different depending on the county; nonetheless, within Sonoma, all employees’ including contractors or volunteers in the patient care areas of healthcare facilities, are required to wear a face mask throughout the entire period of the order, irrespective of the level of their vaccination, Daily Mail reported.
Also, if a business company provides health care products or products in delivery services, they have to follow if any of the employees enter the patient care areas following the mandate.
Though Sonoma is not enforcing the rule on people visiting the county, other counties, including Santa Clara and San Mateo, are demanding that anyone who gains entry into a medical facility must have his or her face covered by a mask.
Dr Smith also advises that masks should be worn by both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, especially in public indoor spaces, if there is a high risk of Covid or influenza.