California issues universal indoor mask mandate as COVID-19 cases rise

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All Californians will be required to wear masks when indoors at public places starting Dec. 15 and ending Jan. 15, health officials announced Monday, citing an increase in COVID-19 case rates following Thanksgiving.

California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the mandate will affect about 50% of Californians who are not currently under a county-level mask mandate.

Many counties already have their own local masking rules. Sacramento County health officials issued an indoor mask mandate in late July after the state lifted its previous universal mandate on June 15.

In addition to masking, the state will now require those without proof of vaccination attending events with more than 1,000 people to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within one day. The previous guidelines required a test within 72 hours.

The state will also recommend those who travel in or out of California get tested for COVID-19 within three to five days.

“We know people are tired and hungry for normalcy. Frankly, I am too,” Ghaly told reporters Monday. “That said, this is a critical time where we have a tool that we know has worked. We are proactively putting this tool of universal indoor masking in public settings in place to ensure we get through a time of joy and hope without a darker cloud of concern and despair.”

“Californians have done this before, and we, of course, believe we can do it again,” he added.

The state guidance comes ahead of anticipated holiday gatherings that could drive up cases.

Ghaly on Monday emphasized that there is no state directive instructing Californians on what they can or can’t do during the holidays, but encouraged residents to get vaccinated and try to spend time outside, instead of indoors, where it’s easier to transmit the virus.

Since Thanksgiving, California has seen its daily COVID-19 case rate rise 47%, Ghaly said. Prior to Thanksgiving, the state was experiencing roughly 9.6 cases per 100,000 residents per day, that number is now 14 cases per 100,000, he said.

The increase is not happening uniformly across the state. Some counties’ case rates remain very low, such as in the Bay Area. But other counties, especially those where vaccine rates are low, are seeing a greater rate of increase that could pressure hospital capacity.

Ghaly pointed to rising cases in parts of Southern California, including Riverside and San Bernardino, Inyo County, the Central Valley, and in the northernmost parts of the state.

“We’re still seeing many people who are unvaccinated get quite sick and even die,” he said.

Hospital populations are already well above baseline for this time of year, and staff are still fatigued and tired from months of fighting the pandemic, Ghaly said. Even a 10% increase in indoor masking can reduce case transmission significantly, he added.

California was the first state to identify the presence of the Omicron variant shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday. Ghaly said there is still much to learn about the variant, and California is closely watching its progression abroad.

“I think what we’ve already learned is this is a very, very transmissible form and it does have some degree of impact on vaccines,” Ghaly said. “We’re trying to clarify that as quickly as possible so we can make good decisions for the state.”

This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 2:11 PM.