What Merced County residents should know as COVID indoor mask mandate ends Wednesday
California’s indoor mask mandate relaxed Wednesday for the first time since December, signaling a pause in COVID-19 restrictions intended to combat the highly contagious omicron variant that spread locally, beginning late last year.
Although some exceptions still exist in high-risk settings and for unvaccinated individuals, the change means that most Merced County residents can unmask in many indoor places come midnight.
The lifted mask requirements underscore the improving state of the pandemic in California compared to the start of the year.
“We’re currently seeing a steady decline in COVID-19 cases in Merced County,” County Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Kristynn Sullivan said in a written statement to the Sun-Star Tuesday. She also noted the declining number of COVID-19-caused hospitalizations — a crucial metric that indicates the pandemic’s severity in a region.
COVID-19 cases across the state, including in Merced County, rose to levels higher than any previous point in the pandemic during the omicron surge. In response, the state made indoor masking a requirement again in December and extended the mandate in January for another month.
January signaled a reprieve in severity, but it wasn’t until last week that the California Department of Public Health announced conditions had improved enough to ease some COVID-19 restrictions. Statewide case rates at that time had dropped 65% since omicron’s peak and have continued to improve.
Compared to the prior winter case surge one year ago, statewide hospitalizations and deaths tied to COVID-19 were, on average, not as high this time around. Health experts have tied this in part to the wide availability of vaccines, which have shown to protect individuals from contracting severe cases that lead to hospitalization or death.
The vaccine’s efficacy is a major reason why state protocols are different for vaccinated versus unvaccinated individuals. Counties like Merced, where vaccination rates lag behind statewide averages, will continue to have indoor mask mandates apply to many of its residents.
“Merced County Public Health still recommends all people to continue to wear mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status,” Sullivan said. “We also encourage everyone to get vaccinated and stay current on their booster shots.”
As the state enters into another period of loosened COVID-19 mandates, here’s what to know:
State rules differ for vaccinated, unvaccinated
Fully-vaccinated people may unmask in many indoor public spaces and businesses as of Wednesday. The state health department is still urging vaccinated individuals to mask up in locations where transmission risk is high, such as crowded indoor places.
With about 74% of state residents age 5 and older fully vaccinated against COVID-19, most Californians fall under these guidelines.
Unvaccinated people, regardless of a location’s transmission risk, are required to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces and businesses like restaurants, theaters, retail stores and government offices.
Children under age 2 are still exempt from the requirements, as are some individuals with mental or physical health conditions.
Masks will continue to be worn by staff and students at schools. The policy will be reassessed in two weeks and potentially lifted if COVID-19 cases continue to trend downward, but the state would likely continue to “strongly recommend” masks, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Monday.
There are other spaces deemed high-risk enough to warrant mandatory masking for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated. These include:
- Public transit and transportation hubs, such as trains, airplanes, ride-shares, airports and bus terminals
K-12 schools and childcare centers
Emergency shelters
Cooling and heating centers
Health care facilities
Correctional facilities and detention centers
Homeless shelters
Long-term care, adult and senior care facilities
Merced County COVID numbers improve, but vaccination lags
Merced County rang in the new year with some of the highest COVID-19 cases seen locally since the pandemic’s start.
The county’s most recent pandemic peak has yet to fully subside and local case data is still faring worse than statewide averages. Still, Merced County numbers have consistently improved throughout February.
Daily cases frequently tallied higher than 500 throughout January but have not crossed that threshold yet this month, with the exception of a Feb. 8 spike due to previously uncounted cases being added to the running count.
As of Tuesday, 18 COVID-19-related deaths have been recorded in Merced County since the start of February. A total of 767 Merced County deaths have been tied to the pandemic since it began.
February began with nearly 9,000 total cases estimated active. The latest data released Tuesday reported that the count had fallen to 3,538.
Active hospitalizations for COVID-19 numbered 40, according to Tuesday’s data report. That’s down from 57 people hospitalized Feb. 1. State data shows that six intensive care unit beds are available within Merced County.
Merced County’s positivity rate fell to 24.3% .on Tuesday from 34.4% on Feb 1 — .meaning the percentage of people tested who received a positive result. Average daily cases declined to 77.1 per 100,000 residents from 168.7 during the same period.
Still, those metrics are notably higher than statewide averages. The state on Tuesday reported a 5.7% positivity rate and 51 daily cases per 100,000 residents.
Plus, the county’s vaccination rate continues to lag behind much of California. Merced County residents, age 5 or older, fully vaccinated against COVID-19 came to just over 50% Tuesday, according to the local health department. That compares to 74% statewide, according to California Department of Public Health data.
The lower than average vaccination rate means that more Merced County residents will have to keep wearing masks indoors, even after the mandate is lifted for vaccinated individuals at midnight.
Information about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine or test is available on the Merced County Department of Public Health’s website.
This story was originally published February 15, 2022 at 4:49 PM.
