County Issues New Indoor Mask Mandate

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BY BRANDY TUZON BOYD
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz

Sacramento County today issued a health order which requires masking indoors regardless of a person’s vaccination status.

County health officials said the mandate is needed due to the day-over-day case rate increases of the highly infectious COVID-19 Delta variant as well as the rising number of those with the virus in area hospitals.

“We know the Delta variant is a lot more contagious,” Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said. “We need to take additional preventive measures.”

Kasirye said today that county inspectors would be checking to see whether workplaces comply with the new health order which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 30.

Since mid June, the county’s case rate has exploded from 3.9 per 100,000 people tested to a case rate of 22.6 per 100,000 test today, according to the county’s coronavirus dashboard.

In the past week, all virus specimens that were sequenced were the Delta variant, according to Jamie White, the county’s epidemiology program manager.

Last week, new cases of COVID-19 spiked significantly among those who reside in Natomas zip codes, according to Sacramento County data.

Between July 19 and July 26, new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Natomas zip codes 95833, 95834 and 95835 numbered 199, up 165% from 75 cases logged the previous reporting period:*

• 95835 reported 71 new cases, up 173% from 26 cases the previous week;
• 95833 saw 65 new cases, up 182% from 23 cases the previous reporting period; and
• 95834 logged 63 new cases, up 143% from the previous week.

According to county data, 548 new cases and two deaths were reported in the last day. The data also shows 175 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, up from 131 people a week ago. Of those patients, 35 are reported to be in intensive care.

Today’s new order comes just a week after Sacramento County health officials issued a recommendation that masks be worn indoors, even by those who have been vaccinated against the virus, due to the rising number of new cases. At this time, Kasirye said the county is not making any recommendations about physical distancing or considering indoor capacity restrictions.

County officials said only about 10% of new infections are among those who had been fully vaccinated.

Currently about 49% of those who are eligible have been vaccinated in Sacramento County. Kasirye said health officials will continue to work toward a 70% vaccination rate.

White added that the county continues to receive requests for smaller, popup vaccination clinics and is holding between 20 to 25 clinics weekly.

“We are very hopeful that with increased vaccinations we will see a downturn (in new COVID-19 cases),” Kasirye said. “The virus will dictate and we will follow the trends.”

*Natomas is estimated to have a population of 110,000, according to data on the U.S. Census Bureau website. Breakthrough cases among those who are vaccinated, hospitalizations and death data is not made available by zip code.

For information on area COVID-19 vaccination clinics and how to sign up, visit the state’s My Turn website or call the county’s 211 referral hotline.