On Tuesday, Contra Costa Health Services Director Doctor Anna Roth announced a new covid mask order saying they were joining Bay Area health officials in requiring masks in high-risk healthcare facilities.
This comes as COVID cases are on the rise where countywide admissions have jumped from 8.1 admissions per day in July to 12.1 admissions as of September 9.
“We are issuing a health order today around masking for high-risk health care facilities,” said Roth. “Masking in hospitals, masking in skilled nursing facilities and high-risk facilities.”
But said it would not carry over into other residential congregate facilities, such as detention settings or homeless shelters.
According to the Order:
ORDER NO. HO-2023-1
DATE OF ORDER: September 18, 2023
Summary of the Order
This Order of the Health Officer requires personnel in healthcare facilities, as defined, to wear face masks in specified areas during the annual respiratory virus season (November 1 through April 30) for the purpose of providing a layer of protection to patients against COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other viral infections. This Order also requires the operators of these facilities to develop and implement a plan to enforce the masking requirement
Tidbits from Anna Roth, Health Services Director
- Announced new COVID mask order
- Expecting new vaccine by end of the week or next week… urges those who have not been vaccinated in the last 60-days, you are eligible. It’s a vaccine for everybody.
- Key differences, no mass vaccination sites but does anticipate a quick ramp up for a few weeks, then demand settles down. Urges you to utilize service providers.
- Contra Costa Health Services will not turn anyone away
- Are seeing a rise in COVID cases in Contra Costa County – July it was 8.1 admissions, in week of Sept. 9, it was 12.1 admissions. County can handle the demand, but it is going up.
Tidbits from Dr. Sefanit Mekuria, Deputy Health Officer
- New vaccine is not a booster, but a new vaccine that replaces the previous vaccine and protects against current circulating variants. Called it important to get new vaccine
- This is similar to annual flu vaccine to match virus circulating
- Should get this vaccine just like one should get the flu vaccine
- Urged people to get all vaccines from flu from RSV vaccine for those 60 y/o or infants
- Also a health officer order – annual health order to high risk health facilities—requiring workers to mask during respiratory season, applies to workers, not those visiting.
- Goal is to protect the “vulnerable” and reduce risk of spread of COVID
- Called masking a “healthy choice”
- Called testing important and people can get up to 8-test kits per month through November.
Previous Stories:
- Sept. 19 – New COVID-19 Vaccine Coming Soon to Contra Costa County
- Sept. 13 – CDPH Recommends All Californians Stay Up to Date on COVID-19 Vaccine
- Feb 28 – Governor Newsom Marks End of California’s COVID-19 State of Emergency
5 comments
And history repeats itself again.
So this unelected, non-doctor is behind forcing me to wear a mask to protect others against the flu? Girl, you are trippin.’
Well technically the Director announced it. It was the Health Officer, who is a Doctor, that put out the order.
Try reading the article. It applies to high-risk healthcare facilities – not to “you.”
Tell us that same thing in 6 months. California will be in full blown lockdown.
Comments are closed.