As COVID-19 cases rise, mask mandates return at some California hospitals

WEST SACRAMENTO – As doctors warn that the coronavirus is on the rise, some Northern California hospitals are reinstating an old COVID-19 requirement: mandatory mask wearing.

The current increase is attributed to summer travel, as more and more people stay at home to avoid the brutal heat.

Today very few people wear masks.

With this increase, some healthcare providers are closely monitoring transmission.

Kaiser Permanente confirmed to CBS13 that its Santa Rosa facility reinstated mask mandates.

Sutter Health also said healthcare workers are wearing masks at its San Francisco-based facilities to comply with county mask requirements.

As for the Sacramento metropolitan area, health care networks say this will not be the case in the region.

In a statement, Kaiser Permanente explained that as the state of COVID-19 continues to evolve in communities, it will closely monitor transmission rates. From there, the healthcare provider will use the information to determine if a mask is necessary.

Sutter Health also agrees with this approach, but also strongly recommends that people wear masks provided by their facility.

There are the skeptics.

“They told us a lot of bullshit,” said Richard Staudinger, a north Sacramento resident. “I think most people don’t believe it now.”

“I think it’s more political than anything else, just think they’re trying to do what they did in 2020,” said Carmichael resident Craig Roberts.

There are also supporters.

“I don’t have a problem if they put my masks back on,” Kiona Cooper said.

Cooper said he contracted the virus earlier this year.

Outside of the debate, doctors warn that cases are increasing.

The Yolo County health officer said he tracks cases using a different metric.

“Sewage levels are rising,” said Dr. Aimee Sisson. “They are in the middle level.”

In Woodland, the county says it entered the high tier.

The omicron EG.5 subvariant is feeding the cases. However, not to the point where mask mandates are needed.

By now, people have received their vaccinations or have been infected.

“Honestly, I think we should just let our immune systems work on their own,” said Anna Daniels.

The consensus is that a mask mandate is possible in certain circumstances.

“If we’re going to see mask mandates, it’s probably only going to be in healthcare settings and it’s probably going to be in the winter,” Dr. Sisson said.

Typically, the spread of the flu, RSV, and COVID-19 tends to peak during the winter.