With so many variables still unknown about the Coronavirus pandemic that’s affected the world for more than a year and a half, it’s hard to keep up with the seemingly ever-changing data and opinions. Just this week, in response to the increasing number of cases, the California Department of Public Health reinstated an indoor mask mandate for public places. This caused debate and division and questions on enforcement.
California’s covid website:
Due to a recent increase in cases, CDPH has mandated that everyone in California wear a mask in indoor public spaces and workplaces. The order is in effect December 15, 2021 to January 15, 2022.
We reached out to Sharp Coronado Hospital to get a gauge on local numbers and a statement on the mask mandate. Similar to reports of increased cases around the country, the number of COVID inpatients has also increased locally.
Sharp Coronado Hospital Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Susan Stone shared, “Overall, Sharp Coronado Hospital is experiencing a rise in COVID positive inpatients with nine current COVID positive inpatients as of December 15. This is up from an average of zero to one COVID positive inpatients just a month ago. The Omicron variant has been identified as much more contagious although the severity of illness associated with this variant is not fully known. Being fully vaccinated, wearing a mask while in indoor public settings, practice social distancing as well as hand washing are all measures we can take to safely care for ourselves and others around us.”
The day after the mask mandate was announced, Coronado’s Mayor Richard Bailey went public with a message on his Instagram page stating that “Coronado will not be actively enforcing the state’s new mask mandate.” Click image below for Mayor Bailey’s full post or click here :
View this post on Instagram
We reached out to both the Coronado Police Department and the City Manager’s office for their take on the mandate. CPD did not have a comment and referred us to the City Manager’s office. The City Manager’s office was preparing to put out a public statement in their regular weekly update.
City Manager Tina Friend’s Weekly Update of December 17 reiterated the facts and stated that the city will focus on “education and compliance.”
The full text of the update reads: “A statewide mandate implemented this week once again requires masks indoors in all public places regardless of vaccine status. The California Department of Public Health announced this week that the new requirements would begin Wednesday, Dec. 15, in response to the increase in cases and hospitalizations in the state and the new Omicron variant. The new mandate is set to last at least through January 15, 2022, and will be reevaluated. County health officials follow state requirements and urge county residents to wear a mask indoors. The City of Coronado will operate under the same conditions it did before the mask mandate was lifted June 15, which focused on education and compliance.”
CDPH officials cited a 47% increase in COVID-19 infection rates across California since Thanksgiving, with the statewide rate of daily new cases rising from 9.6 per 100,000 residents to more than 14 per 100,000. As of mid-December, Public Health Officials noted that San Diego County’s case rate per 100,000 residents is 14.2 overall, 8.3 for fully vaccinated people and 24.8 for not fully vaccinated San Diegans.
When you enter a business, you do not know the health status or circumstances of the owners or employees, nor if the state is cracking down on certain types of businesses to follow the mandate.
County of San Diego Summary of Variant Cases as of Dec. 16, 2021:
For more information visit the CDPH website or the state’s covid website.
