California announces extension of indoor mask order

Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of California Health and Human Services, cited a surge in cases and an uptick in hospitalizations as the reason for the extension of the order, but noted that “today’s situation is better in many ways and puts us in a place where we can manage the disease burden that we weren’t able to do a year ago.”

When asked whether the state will issue more requirements in addition to the mask mandate, Ghaly said, “We’re not discussing business closures or closures of other sectors of our economy and schools, etc.”

Ghaly said that as of Tuesday, approximately 51,000 total people are hospitalized in California for a wide range of conditions, with about 8,000 of those being COVID patients. At this time last year, the patient total was about 53,000, he said.

He said while the state will look at “the total COVID picture” when considering whether to lift the mask mandate, the number of patients hospitalized across the state will be a key determining factor. 

The state’s top health official encouraged people to get boosted and noted that a booster shot can provide extra protection from the virus as soon as three days after receiving it. 

“It’s not too late to get boosted,” Ghaly said. “If you get your booster today, that protection turns on very quickly.”