Keep wearing masks indoors? Many Sacramento residents, businesses seem to support the idea

A month after the lifting of pandemic restrictions in California, Sacramentans seem to be having mixed reactions to new health recommendations that they mask up again indoors due to the highly contagious Delta variant.

The new guidance was issued Thursday morning for Sacramento County, a day after Yolo County did the same, advising residents to wear masks in most public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status.

Residents and tourists walked around mostly maskless in midtown Sacramento over the weekend, and popular venues like Zócalo and Paesanos were packed with guests. But, based on a small sampling of people interviewed in the area, many appear to support the idea of wearing masks indoors when possible.

Lisa Lu was in Sacramento to see the Capitol building and said she is still wary of the virus even though California has been doing much better than other states in controlling COVID-19.

“I still think the pandemic is not over yet,” said Lu, 65, who was wearing a mask outdoors. “It’s not behind us, so we still need to wear a mask in public places, in the office and in the indoor environment.”

The Sacramento County health office said the daily coronavirus case rate rose in the last three weeks from 3.8 per 100,000 residents to 10 per 100,000, and just 48% of residents are fully vaccinated, according to the latest state health data.

Officials have also said that Sacramento County has 101 confirmed cases of the Delta variant, but the actual numbers may be higher as “not every specimen is tested for the variants.” Experts have said that vaccines are largely effective against the variant but are still studying if the Delta strain somewhat reduces their efficacy.

“While cases continue to surge and until vaccination rates have increased in Sacramento County, vaccinated residents are strongly recommended to wear masks in indoor settings where vaccination verification is not required and the vaccination status of others is unknown,” the county said in a news release.

Like Lu, many residents have continued to mask up even after restrictions were lifted.

Angelia Vang, 18, said she’s still wearing a mask indoors. So is Nick Patel, 22, who was sitting beside her at Capitol Park. He said he wears a mask at work in a medical clinic.

Some residents said they were unaware of the new guidance but have continued their habits from the past year. Others wondered if a new mask mandate was coming soon. Los Angeles County recently imposed an indoor mask mandate regardless of vaccination status.

Tatiana Zhirnova, 27, who was with a friend at Capitol Park, said she and her friend are both vaccinated, but they still wear a mask at work in a medical facility.

But another park attendee, David Shaffner, 51, said he’s not convinced of the need for masking, saying he thinks it’s redundant to wear a mask if a person already is vaccinated.

When asked whether he thinks another mask mandate is ahead, Shaffner said it “could happen, but I trust in God.”

The California Department of Public Health has issued a statement saying its current face covering guidance remains unchanged on a statewide basis. The Capitol building recently reinstated its own mask mandate after a COVID-19 outbreak among employees.

Some local restaurants and bars have considered making changes in light of the new county guidance. At the downtown KoJa Kitchen and K Bar, meetings have been held to discuss policies on mask-wearing for employees, according to team lead Jenny Nacawile.

Nacawile, 26, said employees prefer wearing masks, but a majority of customers typically don’t. That’s a problem because staff members can’t tell who is vaccinated, she said.

As infections continue to climb in the state and capital region, Nacawile wonders if a mask mandate and additional COVID-19 restrictions are coming back.

One business in downtown Sacramento is imposing new restrictions in order to avoid closing. The Torch Club, a bar and blues club on 15th Street, is asking guests to show a vaccination card upon entry and wear a mask when they’re not sitting.

Marina Texeira, the club’s owner, said she thought about adding extra precautions once she saw that Los Angeles County had mandated masks and Yolo and Sacramento counties had issued recommendations.

“It would just be a little bit harder to police people in a nightclub environment with drinking and socializing and dancing,” Texeira, 55, said. “So, to just be extra safe and make it safe for everyone as possible, I just decided it would be safer to require (vaccinations).”

Texeira said the club only recently reopened after a 15-month closure and she is hoping to keep it open.

Patrons at the club appeared to have no problem with the requirements. John and Terese Curri said they were happy to see the vaccination card requirement as they’ve been coming there for years.

John Curri, 67, said the Delta variant is a big concern to him because he knows people who have gotten sick recently.

As for the club’s vaccination requirement, Terese Curri, 70, said, “It’s safer.”

This story was originally published July 19, 2021 at 11:25 AM.