Written by William Hale
Coronavirus cases are once again rising in California. Some health officials have warned of another surge, thus necessitating the re-implementation of tedious COVID policies like mask mandates and vaccine verification.
The data coming in from this past week qualifies for the label of “High Rate of Coronavirus Transmission,” a mark that hasn’t been met since early March. Of the 5,600 cases recorded in the state last week, 1,037 have been hospitalized, and 146 were put in intensive care units.
Dr. Curtis Chan, the deputy health officer for San Mateo County said in an interview that “We’re expecting a small surge that may mirror something that we saw in Delta last summer, in early July, but it’s happening now, in May.” However, Chan doesn’t foresee cases rising to the level of January’s Omicron surge.
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has suggested that she is prepared to recommend a universal mask mandate if LA reaches a “High COVID-19 Community Level.” Local California health departments have been faster to impose mandates than even the CDC, but a High COVID-19 Community Level would also receive the CDC’s recommendation for universal mask mandates. “Let’s continue to be prepared to take appropriate measures depending on what we’re learning and seeing,” said Ferrer.
As California conservatives know very well, politicians and public health officials have not hesitated to enforce COVID policies like mask mandates, vaccine requirements, social distancing, and school closures. But their lack of patience for vaccine and mask-hesitant citizens will have to be tested once more as individuals from all factions of the political spectrum grow tired of a COVID-hysteric government — people are ready to move past COVID for good.
Photo Cred: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
