Here's What We Know So Far, Teen Accused of Killing Woman With Rock Took Photo as Memento', Prosecutors Say. Orange County Public Schools make masks optional for adults starting Gavin Newsoms administration announced the new mandate will start Wednesday and last until Jan. 15. Starting Wednesday, California and Orange County residentswhether vaccinated or unvaccinatedwill again need to wear masks in area shops, restaurants and malls for at least four weeks, according to the Governor's office. In a news briefing last week, deputy OC Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said theres waves of reports to the county Health Care Agency that some OC residents and businesses have flat out ignored the mandate. The state also is recommending travelers who visit or return to California to get tested within five days of their arrival. Californias mandate was set back into place mid-December and set for reevaluation Jan. 15. Its unclear if those requests will gain traction. According to the state, the following individuals are exempt from wearing masks at all times: Persons younger than two years old. We hope that those are few and far between, that most people see the purpose of doing this over the next month as something to protect them and their communities during a very tough time.. The governor can do this because California is still operating under an emergency declaration Newsom issued at the beginning of the pandemic. "Stay vigilant, get vaccinated, get boosted," Newsom said. Support Voice of OC Today. Last month, the school boards president Carrie Buck unilaterally adjourned their January meeting twice within minutes after people at the meeting refused to comply with mask mandates. www.ochealthinfo.com, COUNTY OF ORANGE HEALTH OFFICER'S Today, more than 70% of Californias residents who are eligible have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Share your thoughts in a community opinion piece. The mask mandate in Cumberland County ended Sunday night. In light of the recent COVID-19 related guidance and orders by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the State Public Health Officer, the following Orders and Strong Recommendations shall revise and replace the prior Orders and Strong Recommendations of the County Health Officer that were issued on September 23, 2022. Schubert said educators focus a great deal of attention on students social emotional development, but that has seemed to go by the wayside when it comes to face masks. CHIEF OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, MATTHEW ZAHN, MD January 2021 remains the deadliest month of the pandemic with a death toll of 1,594, ahead of December 2020, the next deadliest at 985. The case rate per 100,000 residents is at 6.4. "As expected, we are beginning to experience a rise in cases, not only here in Orange County but statewide and nationwide, due to increased holiday gatherings and travel," Chau said. On July 22, two groups, Let Them Breathe and Reopen California Schools, filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Californias school mask mandate. Orange County Announces Plan to Lift Indoor Mask Mandate Starting April 3, masks will no longer be required in. The county had 20.1% of its ICU beds available and 59.5% of its ventilators as of Monday. AGENCY DIRECTOR, REGINA CHINSIO-KWONG, DO But in Florida currently experiencing the nations biggest coronavirus surge Gov. On March 4, 2020, the Governor of the State of California declared a State of Emergency to exist in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19. That's dwarfed by 2,259 patients on Jan. 7, just as vaccines were being rolled out for health care workers. With schools about to re-open and face-to-face instruction set to resume, school officials throughout Orange County are hearing from parents who hold opposing views about a state mandate that requires most students, teachers and staff to wear masks when indoors at a California public school. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. "What struck me is we passed 18% positivity. CA Mask Mandate Ending Soon In Laguna Beach, Orange County After COVID-19 cases continued to spike in Florida and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings recommended that indoor mask mandates return, Disney complied. The only way is to stick with masks, stick with science, and with sensible cautionary protocols, like hand washing and social distancing., Anaheim Hills resident Claudia Gallegos, a mom to five children, including two at Placentia-Yorba Linda schools, said shes disappointed some school districts are caving to the pressure of some parents.. Noymer emphasized even with masks dropping, people can and should wear masks. County parents have also been rallying at school board meetings against masks and people have been holding protests against mask requirements. While the indoor mask mandate is coming to an end, students and school staff will still be required to wear their masks inside classrooms at least for now. (Courtesy of SAUSD), El Modena High School cheerleaders wear face masks as they watch the schools football game with El Dorado High School in Orange, Calif., Friday, March 19, 2021. On Tuesday, Orange County Health Care Agency reported that six more residents have died as a result of coronavirus. That is literally our only way out.. The strong recommendation for universal masking at skilled nursing facilities when two or more COVID-19 cases are identified in a facility is based on the disproportionate burden of serious disease and death caused by COVID-19 in these facilities residents throughout the pandemic. Some counties in state refuse to enforce new mask mandate in New York Mask mandate in OC schools raises ire, praise, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Face mask mandate in schools raises ire, praise and confusion in Orange County, Youve got a blank canvas; now be creative and live fully alive, Hundreds of OC teens participate in Global Youth Service Day, Orange County Board of Education will sue Newsom over face masks, Placentia-Yorba Linda school board wants face masks to be optional, Dont be confused: online schools arent distance learning, signed an executive order blocking schools from mandating face coverings, California changes course on school masks, will let individual districts enforce mandate, California recommends masks for all indoors amid COVID surge, LA County will require masks indoors regardless of vaccination status starting Saturday night, Long Beach will require all city employees to get COVID-19 vaccine or be tested weekly, Orange County restaurants shut down by health inspectors (April 20-27), More land sliding at Casa Romantica; residents evacuated, trains halted through San Clemente, Then and Now: Photos of Casa Romantica show damage caused by landside, Orange County Artist of the Year winners announced, The DMV says permission to drive is based on ability, but older drivers are scrutinized more, OC Marine who volunteered in Ukraine, survived rocket attack: I would do it again, Joe Bidens re-election bid is off to a bad start, Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life, A look at Orange Countys baseball teams and the CIF-SS playoffs, Fire at Barnes & Noble in Orange disrupts book-signing event, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Driver rescued after car plunges more than 500 feet off NorCal cliff, Authorities continue search for Texas man suspected of killing 5, Lakers, LeBron James to play Warriors, Steph Curry in NBA showdown. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer), During recent graduation ceremonies, masks were available at schools in the Placentia-Yorba Linda School District, including these masks emblazoned with the mascot for Valencia High. Los Alamitos Unified, for example, will contract with the Orange County Department of Education to offer independent studies to students who wish to remain online. The new statewide masking measure brings an added layer of protection against the fast-spreading Delta and Omicron variants of coronavirus. Instead, they held their meeting last week outdoors. Gallegos, a pre-school teacher at Magnolia School District, said shes looking forward to children her own and her students returning to campus. [Read: Mask Mandate Returns to Orange County Wednesday] The mandate was expected to end on Jan. 15 but when case counts skyrocketed, state officials extended the mandate to Feb. 15.. The new policy will go into effect on Feb. 15. The California Health and Safety Code section 120130 (d) authorizes the County of Orange Health Officer to require strict or modified isolation, or quarantine, for any case of contagious, infectious, or communicable disease, when such action is necessary for the protection of the public health. All employers in Orange County that are subject to Cal/OSHA Standards shall follow applicable Cal/OSHA requirements during COVID-19 Outbreaks. ORANGE COUNTY, CA One day before California Gov. Health officials in the Bay Area have not outlined criteria to reestablish a mask mandate. With COVID cases rising, will California resume mask rules? - Los City News Service contributed to this report. That's the instruction we've been given.". The first phase, which is effective immediately, calls for a change in social distancing from 6 feet to 3 feet . School districts have always been in charge of enforcement, Franklin said. Hospitalizations dropped to 194 with the number of patients in intensive care falling to 63. REASONS FOR THE ORDERS AND STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS, Regina Chinsio-Kwong, DO ORANGE COUNTY, CA One day before California Gov. California has reported an average of 54,695 new cases per day over the last week, the highest rolling total in the nearly two-year pandemic, according to data compiled by The Los Angeles Times. Update: Commissioners will drop mask mandate in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough public spaces . Roxana Kopetman is a staff writer at The Orange County Register. Since then, some school administrators have asked the Orange County Health Care Agency if their districts can let students on campus if the student wears a face shield instead of a mask, or if the district could simply separate un-masked students from their peers. [Read: OC Officials Express Concern Over Death Threat to Public Health Officer Over Mask Order]. The county has 22% of its ICU beds available and 69% of its ventilators. There was a slight drop in the positivity rate from 3.4 to 3.2 percent and hospitalizations from 196 to 194, while ICU admissions increased slightly from 59 to 63 per day. Send us asecure tip. Orange County Public Schools announced Monday it was reinstating its mask mandate for all . Orange County's Indoor Mask Mandate: Is it Coming Back? - NBC Los Angeles At a Monday news conference, Secretary of the state Health and Human Services department, Dr. Mark Ghaly said they wont change the mask mandate at schools just yet but they will reassess data at the end of the month on whether to lift the requirement. Though Greg Franklin, superintendent of the Tustin Unified School District, agreed that the state created confusion among a lot of people, he doesnt view the current mask rules as dramatically different from last year. UPDATE: Orange County Board of Education will sue Newsom over face masks. More than 8,000 COVID-19 cases leading to more than 1,500 deaths have occurred in Orange County skilled nursing facility residents. Per the California Department of Public Health, everyone is required to wear masks in: Masks are required for unvaccinated people and recommended for everyone in places of worship. As Los Angeles County faces a very likely indoor mask mandate toward the end of July, many may be wondering where that leaves Orange County and its plans as COVID cases tick up. She also said case rates are still high and so is transmission of the virus in OC. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California is bringing back a rule requiring people to wear masks indoors, a move aimed at containing a new type of the coronavirus as people gather with family and friends during the holidays. (714) 966-4617. But county officials including public health officials have repeatedly said they dont have the power to enforce masks. Gavin Newsom's mask mandate goes back into play, Orange County's COVID-19 hospitalizations remained relatively stable. Chinsio-Kwong said the health care agencys environmental health division has not issued any citations and that enforcement of local and state health orders was really up to law enforcement and state agencies. CA Mask Mandate Ending Soon For Orange County Residents RELATED: Dont be confused: online schools arent distance learning. California Updates Mask Guidance and Health Care Facilities The masks were given out during ceremonies at Bradford Stadium in Placentia, California on Thursday, June 17, 2021. Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication. With the state leaving enforcement of the mandate to school districts, one question remains: What will happen if students show up to school and refuse to wear a mask? This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a mask could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a mask without assistance. If L.A. County stays at the "high" category for two weeks straight, officials say it would trigger a new indoor mask mandate. Even if people have been vaccinated, the mandate calls for mask-wearing in all indoor public spaces. The CDC says it's safe to be outdoors or indoors in small gatherings without a mask as long as others are fully vaccinated. But for parents like Kambiz Shoarinejad, who has two sons enrolled at Tustin Unified, the face masks make sense. MEDICAL DIRECTOR CDCD, 405 W. 5TH STREET, 7TH FLOOR Learning their ABCs is important, she said. Getting Free At-Home COVID Tests In CA: 5 Things To Know, Vaccine Mandate Proposed For CA Schoolchildren: Readers Weigh In, Free N95 Masks Available At CA CVS, Costco And Walgreens Soon. SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Orange County health experts are once again keeping a close eye on COVID-19 cases as the county moves to "high" community transmission. Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, who ran against Newsom for governor during a an unsuccessful recall election earlier this year, has routinely tried and failed to get the Democratic-dominated Legislature to end the states emergency declaration. SAN FRANCISCO -- California's COVID masking rules are changing according to new information from the state's department of public health. The mask mandates at schools have been fiery points of contention since they first went into effect during the pandemic. In a follow up email on Friday, Chinsio-Kwong said the Health Care Agency has received and responded to health order violation complaints on a daily basis since the start of the pandemic. "Omicron has loosened its hold on California, vaccines for children under 5 are around the corner and access to COVID-19 treatments is improving," Public Health Officer Dr. Toms J. Aragn said in a news release. Among the changes announced by the California Department of Public Health is the end of statewide mask requirements in healthcare and other indoor high-risk settings including correctional. Some parents think school boards and districts can make those decisions, Pulver said. "We have such an overlap in terms of our populations from Los Angeles County and us and other surrounding counties," Zahn said. The death toll for October stands at 125, 195 for September and 180 for August.In contrast, the death toll before the more contagious Delta variant-fueled summer surge was 31 in July, 19 for June, 26 for May, 46 for April, 200 for March and 617 for February. As of Sunday, 6,308 people have been killed by the virus, according to the OC Health Care Agency. Priscella Vega is the Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley reporter for the Daily Pilot. 2, 2022 Effective Monday, March 7, 2022, Orange County will no longer require masks in public, indoor spaces if key COVID-19 metrics continue to . School district officials, including Pulver, say the California Department of Health confused parents on July 13, when it issued two statements about masks at school. All Rights Reserved. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced that he has amended his facial covering executive order. Staff, residents, or patients in high-risk settings including: Homeless shelters, Emergency shelters and cooling and heating centers, State and local correctional facilities and detention centers, All county residents should follow the CDC recommendations that are appropriate for their age and circumstances. We want our children to be healthy. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Eighteen percent of all COVID-19 county resident deaths have occurred in SNF residents. Watch FOX 35 News for the latest updates. Newsom has issued lots of other coronavirus mandates, including requiring state employees, health care workers and, soon, public school students and teachers to be vaccinated. The vast majority of admissions are unvaccinated. Jared Polis of Colorado who told Colorado Public Radio last week that The emergency is over and public health (officials) dont get to tell people what to wear.. [Environmental Health] does not have enforcement authority, she wrote. While hospitalizations and case rates decline, Orange County's January death toll eclipsed the worst months of last summer's surge, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. Starting April 3, masks will no longer be required in indoor high-risk and health care settings. The move comes as the omicron-fueled winter surge rapidly recedes across the state. Los Alamitos Unified School District trustees have also enforced the state mask mandate at their meeting and ended up meeting in an alternate room in January when people at their meeting refused to comply with the requirement. We're all in this together.". In Oregon, for example, students in K-12 schools will be required to wear masks in the coming year. Law enforcement is there to help with enforcement, but again, its a very complex situation, she said at last Wednesdays news briefing. The California Health and Safety Code section 120175 requires the County of Orange Health Officer knowing or having reason to believe that any case of a communicable disease exists or has recently existed within the county to take measures as may be necessary to prevent the spread of the disease or occurrence of additional cases. Chief of Public Health Services In announcing the change on social media Monday, Gov. California to end mask, vaccine rules for healthcare workers - Los But the state confused it, making it sound like districts have options. Back in December, state public health officials announced a one month reinstatement of an indoor mask requirement amid concerns over an Omicron winter surge. RELATED:CDC: Fully vaccinated Americans can do some outdoor activities without mask. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Effective immediately: Physical distancing will be reduced from 6-feet to 3-feet in all settings, Fully vaccinated individuals should follow all updated guidelines for facial coverings that were announced by the CDC on Tuesday. Thursday. Mask mandate affects Orange County, Inland Empire, San Diego - Los But later in the day, the agency issued a second statement that kept the mandate in place and gave individual districts leeway on how to enforce it but removed the words must exclude from its guideline. 2022. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer). The highly contagious variant, Omicron, is the culprit for the majority of cases in the county. A sign outside of a coastal business in Orange County on June 9. Orange County residents must wear masks for another month under state Mask Mandate to be amended March 7th, 2022 to No Longer Require Masks in Public, Indoor Spaces Orange County leaders say decision is contingent on COVID-19 Community Levels. The Orange County Health Care Agency reported 368,432 total cases as of Thursday with 6,266 positive cases; two new deaths were reported Thursday. hospitals have set up tents to increase capacity during the surge. Mask Mandate Returns to Orange County Wednesday Right now, health officials said anyone who feels safer wearing a mask should continue to do so especially in public places and indoors, and they encourage folks to get the COVID-19 vaccine or booster if eligible. Orange County residents must continue wearing masks for indoor public places for an additional month following a state-issued extension as hospitals bear the brunt of a winter surge in coronavirus cases. But how well OC dealt with the mask mandate is unclear with county public health officials largely taking a hands off approach to enforcement. We're not seeing that," said Jose Arballo, public information officer for the Riverside County Department of Health. We are strongly encouraging everyone who is eligible to get a booster vaccine.". 5 min read. Chinsio-Kwong said data shows unvaccinated people are the ones getting sick and young adults between 19 to 44 are having the highest case rates. Wearing a mask in those high-risk indoor settings will still be recommended. Data is starting to show that the vaccine is fairly protective against the latest variant.. At the end of the day, all of us want our children to go to school. Here's what the end of COVID -19 emergency means in San Francisco. President Biden signed into law a House bill on April 10 that immediately ended the COVID-19 presidential declaration of national emergency established in March 2020. Face Coverings | Orange County, NC Vaccines get an overhaul from FDA, Ex-controller for Anaheim companies gets 5 years for embezzlement, Fire at Barnes & Noble in Orange disrupts book-signing event, Cold, drizzly week ahead for Southern California, Manhunt continues for Texas shooting suspect, reward offered, Orange County restaurants shut down by health inspectors (April 20-27), More land sliding at Casa Romantica; residents evacuated, trains halted through San Clemente, Then and Now: Photos of Casa Romantica show damage caused by landside, Orange County Artist of the Year winners announced, The DMV says permission to drive is based on ability, but older drivers are scrutinized more, OC Marine who volunteered in Ukraine, survived rocket attack: I would do it again, Joe Bidens re-election bid is off to a bad start, Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life, A look at Orange Countys baseball teams and the CIF-SS playoffs, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Chinsio-Kwong, the countys deputy health officer, said that its important that masks are worn at schools, noting that kids 5-11 years old are the least vaccinated group eligible for a shot.As of January 31, for ages five to 11, only 33% of that population received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, she said during last Wednesdays news briefing. County of Orange, OC Health Officer's Orders & Recommendations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Long Term Care and Residential Care Facilities for Elderly, https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/Non_Emergency_Regulations/, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Guidance-on-Isolation-and-Quarantine-for-COVID-19-Contact-Tracing.aspx, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#children, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Order-of-the-State-Public-Health-Officer-Health-Care-Worker-Vaccine-Requirement.aspx, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Order-of-the-State-Public-Health-Officer-Adult-Care-Facilities-and-Direct-Care-Worker-Vaccine-Requirement.aspx, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Order-of-the-State-Public-Health-Officer-Correctional-Facilities-and-Detention-Centers-Health-Care-Worker-Vaccination-Order.aspx, https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/revised-guidance-staff-vaccination-requirements. Officials in a couple of states including Oregon have announced plans to get rid of their own school mask mandates. Fermin Leal, spokesman for Santa Ana Unified, said the district will divert non-masked students to virtual learning classes, or independent study, or something similar., We are not turning away anyone from our schools, Leal said. LA County will require masks indoors regardless of vaccination status All county residents who are six months of age or older are strongly recommended to obtain the seasonal flu vaccination unless a medical or religious exemption applies. For the PDF English version, click here. That mirrors Californias mandate. "I believe we will continue to do so. Additionally, all Medicare and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers are to follow the CDCs COVID-19 vaccination requirements stated at. The responsibility of enforcing the mandate was up to businesses and the community, Chinsio-Kwong said. [Read: Mask Mandate Returns to Orange County Wednesday]. He cannot medically wear a mask and hes autistic, she said. That said, this is a critical time where we have a tool that we know has worked and can work.. Its still early in Omicron to understand how itll impact our health system.. Gov. The lifting of the statewide mask mandate primarily affects counties that don't have their own, which includes Orange, San Diego and Riverside counties and parts of the central valley. But what is most important is what they learn and see on the playground.. That emergency declaration will remain in place until either Newsom lifts it or the state Legislature votes to end it. A list of conditions that increase peoples risk for severe COVID-19 disease can be found here: PerCDPH masking guidance, infected persons should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings. Its harming (childrens) mental health, their academic progress and their social development. With coronavirus cases on the rise,. The board even ended up contemplating moving their February meeting to this upcoming Wednesday after the California mask mandate is expected to retire. COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER California lifted its statewide mask mandate on June 15 for people who were vaccinated, a date Newsom heralded as the states grand reopening. Three were in September and one was in August. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "There's a bump we're seeing, and a corresponding bump in hospitalizations," since Thanksgiving, Kim said. TRENDING:50th anniversary changes: EPCOT Monorail archway gets repainted. Orange County (no mask mandate) had a peak per capita case rate of 24.7, while Los Angeles County (mask mandate) had a peak rate of 32.1.