California is re-imposing its statewide mask mandate for all indoor public spaces beginning Wednesday and lasting at least a month as COVID-19 figures ratchet.
Cases have spiked 47 percent in the Golden State since Thanksgiving, and the alarming rise triggered the order, said California health agency secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.
'We know people are tired and hungry for normalcy,' Ghaly told reporters during a press briefing. 'Frankly, I am too. 'That said, this is a critical time where we have a tool that we know has worked and can work.'
The state may have reintroduced its mandate but its not clear how it will be enforced after sheriffs in Orange and Los Angeles counties have said they have better uses for their limited resources.
California announced the return of the mandate Monday as New York went forward with a similar order, drawing harsh criticism from the anti-mask crowd.
California partially lifted its initial mask mandate for the fully vaccinated on June 15. Fans are pictured wearing as they enter SoFi Stadium before an NFL football game December 5, 2021
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the order. California health secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the order is necessary to curb the spread as COVID cases rise in the state and the Omicron variant spreads
Nearly 4.89 million Californians have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and the virus has killed 74,685 people in the state
'There is no constitutional, legal, or rational basis for reimposing a mask mandate in California,' tweeted Newsmax contributor Jenna Ellis. 'The "emergency" is now 2 years old.'
Added Fox News personality Tomi Lahren: 'Another mask mandate for California. When are you fools gonna wake up and realize this is all about control?
'When you give your rights away, you don't get them back.'
Others saw the wisdom in the order.
'California indoor mask mandate is the right thing to do at this time,' tweeted Dr. Jorge A. Caballero. 'If you don't like it, then get #vaccinated + boosted + stop amplifying the 'both sides' narratives from anti-maskers & anti-vaxers.'
Democratic California Senator Diana Feinstein also chimed in on the contentious issue as the death toll continues its ascent.
'As the nation nears 800,000 COVID deaths and the omicron variant spreads, California's decision to reinstate an indoor mask mandate makes sense,' she tweeted.
'Vaccinations, boosters and masks can protect us this holiday season, but we must stay alert if we're going to avoid another spike.'
The face covering issue continues to divide public opinion, with some on Twitter saying masks are 'unconstitutional' and others arguing they're a necessity to keep the public healthy
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes (left) and Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (right) have refused to enforce mask mandates in the past
Bringing back the mandate doesn't change much for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, which already have mandates in place, as does most of the San Francisco Bay Area.
It will apply to Orange County, where Sheriff Don Barnes has vehemently refused to enforce mask mandates since the pandemic took hold, and San Diego County.
The mandate - which is set to expire January 15 - also applies to the Inland Empire, parts of Northern California, and the Central Valley.
In Los Angeles County, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in July that he didn't plan to crack down on scofflaws in the municipality he oversees.
'The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) has authority to enforce the order, but the underfunded/defunded Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will not expend our limited resources and instead ask for voluntary compliance,' Villanueva said in a statement.
'We encourage the DPH to work collaboratively with the Board of Supervisors and law enforcement to establish mandates that are both achievable and supported by science.'
Reintroducing the mandate is meant to get a grip on rising coronavirus cases as the new omnicron variant spreads.
There were 9.6 cases per 100,000 people in California people before the Thanksgiving holiday. On Monday, there were 14 cases per 100,000 people.
Since the pandemic began, nearly 4.89 million Californians have tested positive for COVID-19, which has killed 74,685 people in the state.
Gov. Gavin Newsom famously defied the previous mask mandate while dining at The French Laundry in Napa Valley in November 2020, where he was photographed socializing with a group of friends without a mask.
The scandal nearly led to his political undoing as recall efforts heated up, but Newsom kept his seat during the vote last September.
Before the photos emerged, Newsom apologized for the outing, he should not have gone and should be setting a better example. He also claimed he did not know how many people would be there.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is shown above, left, sitting with ten others in the indoor/outdoor dining room at The French Laundry on November 6, 2020 without a mask
Newsom (pictured during a lockdown announcement) was sitting in a private room with a glass door which was closed at one point because the group was being loud, the witness said
California partially lifted its mask mandate for its vaccinated residents June 15, but it remained in place for public transit riders and schools, regardless of vaccination status.
Ghaly said the time has come to bring the mandate back.
'We know that there's going to be people who don't necessarily agree with this, who are tired, who aren't going to mask,' he told reporters.
'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.'
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