L.A. County Drops Outdoor Mask Mandate, But Keeps Indoor

Los Angeles County is changing its masking requirements — but only for outdoor settings. 

The county lifted its outdoor masking requirements on Wednesday for K-12 schools, child-care, youth sports, and mega events, but masks are still mandated in indoor public areas in the county. The move comes as the state alters its mask mandate to only affect unvaccinated individuals.

“With significant improvement in community transmission rates, we’re looking forward to realigning our safety measures while continuing as always to ensure protections for our workers and our most vulnerable residents,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, per the Los Angeles Times.  

“County health officials had said they would drop outdoor masking requirements once coronavirus-positive hospitalizations dropped below 2,500 for seven consecutive days,” the Times noted. The county got below that number last Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, the most recent state hospital data showed that there were 1,835 ICU coronavirus-positive patients in L.A. County. “That figure has fallen 29% in the last week,” the Times added.

With regard to indoor mask-wearing in L.A. County, the strategy has reportedly shifted. “County health officials said they will keep the indoor mask mandate in place until the region records seven consecutive days at a ‘moderate’ level of coronavirus transmission, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Originally, health officials said ‘moderate’ transmission would be required for at least two weeks,” per the Times. – READ MORE