Photo Courtesy US News
Los Angeles County public health officials are now suggesting that individuals wear masks in indoor public places, regardless of vaccination status, due to the increased COVID-19, Delta variant spread.
L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement, “Public Health strongly recommends people wear masks indoors in settings such as grocery or retail stores; theaters and family entertainment centers, and workplaces when you don’t know everyone’s vaccination status.”
“Until we better understand how and to who the Delta variant is spreading, everyone should focus on maximum protection with minimum interruption to routine as all businesses operate without other restrictions, like physical distancing and capacity limits,” the statement added.
According to ABC 7, the Delta variant of COVID-19 came from India and has been held responsible for infections in that country, outbreaks in the United Kingdom, and more.
Federal health authorities estimate that 20% of all new COVID-19 infections in the country are now due to the Delta variant.
The variant is reportedly considerably contagious than the previous mutations of the COVID-19 virus and capable of making people more severely ill.
Health officials have told people who are fully vaccinated are protected against the variant.
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While COVID-19 vaccine provides very effective protection preventing hospitalizations and deaths against the Delta variant, the strain is proving to be more transmissible and is expected to become more prevalent,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement.
“Mask wearing remains an effective tool for reducing transmission, especially indoors where the virus may be easily spread through inhalation of aerosols emitted by an infected person,” she added.