As California COVID cases climb, is it time to start wearing masks again?

As California faces another resurgence of the coronavirus, what should residents do to protect themselves from infection?

Unlike previous waves of the pandemic that were marked by defined limitations on what people could do and how businesses could operate, authorities have shown no willingness to enact new restrictions unless hospitalizations worsen dramatically.

But it’s still important for residents to take steps to reduce the risk of infection, experts say, both to avoid potentially serious health consequences and to reduce the chance of contracting prolonged COVID, in which symptoms of the illness, such as fatigue and brain fog can persist for months or years.

This is what the experts say:

When should I wear a mask?

California lifted its statewide orders for wearing masks in public indoor spaces months ago. However, authorities have consistently urged residents to wear face coverings in public indoor settings – including retail stores, restaurants, theaters and family entertainment centers.

The California Department of Public Health “also strongly recommends the use of face coverings on all public transportation and in public transportation hubs, including bus and train stations, ferry terminals, and airports,” according to a statement sent on Monday. response to a query from The Times. “These crowded environments should be considered high-risk and are often not adequately ventilated.”

Los Angeles County has gone a step further and continues to require face coverings on public transportation, including ride-sharing vehicles, and at indoor transportation centers.

“With all the unknowns surrounding these new variants, it’s sensible to take the simple step of putting your mask back on when you’re indoors,” said Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing masks indoors in counties where the community level of COVID-19 is classified as high, meaning hospitals are beginning to see the strain in a growing number of coronavirus patients.

No California county is in that category. But regardless of the level of a region, “people can always choose to wear a mask to protect themselves from infection,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said last week.

What about meetings?

There are some steps people can take if they are going to attend or host a meeting.

It is preferable that the meeting be held outdoors than indoors. If you have to meet indoors, try to make the place as ventilated as possible, opening doors and windows, if possible. Wearing masks also offers an extra layer of protection, officials say.

“We are not suggesting that people avoid gatherings, but we are suggesting that they gather with renewed security measures,” Ferrer said during a recent briefing.

Testing is another tool. Authorities recommend using rapid tests to check the status of the infection as close as possible to the start of the meeting, especially if there are people who are elderly or have underlying health conditions, or if attendees have frequent contact with vulnerable people.

“Please don’t be shy about telling people you’d like them to get tested” before a meeting, Ferrer said.

What about indoor dining?

Health experts have offered various suggestions about indoor dining, given the high rate of transmission of the virus.

Dr. Robert Wachter, chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, has tweeted that coronavirus case rates are well above his comfort level dining at closed restaurants. Wachter has said that he would agree to indoor dining if the case rate were no more than 70 cases a week per 100,000 residents; Los Angeles County’s rate is nearly four times higher, and San Francisco’s is more than six times its cap.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, said in an interview Friday that he would still walk into a well-ventilated indoor restaurant by now.

Vaccines

Residents who want to avoid the worst consequences of COVID-19 should get vaccinated if they haven’t already, and receive a first and/or second booster when eligible.

“Vaccination remains a critical element of the response to COVID-19,” the California Department of Public Health wrote in its statement. “Vaccines against COVID-19 are particularly effective in preventing severe disease. CDPH urges all eligible people to get vaccinated and boosted.”

Residents who are at least 50 years old, as well as those over 12 who are immunocompromised, were eligible in March for a second booster four months after their first.

“Not only does that protect you from going to the hospital, but I think the government’s approach this time is to supplement everyone’s antibodies as much as possible, so you don’t spread the infection as effectively,” Chin-Hong said. .

The CDC now recommends that those age 50 and older, and immunosuppressed people age 12 and older, get that second booster shot.

“Most older Americans received their last dose (either the primary series or the first booster dose) many months ago, leaving many vulnerable people without the protection they may need to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and illness. death,” the agency said in a statement.

Booster doses are also now available for children aged 5 to 11 years.

“Whether it’s your first or second booster, if you haven’t received a dose of vaccine since early December 2021 and are eligible, now is the time to get it,” the CDC said in a statement.

Treatment

Chin-Hong said that the most vulnerable people can reduce their risk by having a plan to obtain Paxlovid – an antiviral drug that treats COVID-19 – in case of infection.

Paxlovid, a five-day series of pills made by Pfizer, which must be taken within a few days of the onset of symptoms. Reduces the risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 by 89% among higher-risk adults who have not been hospitalized.

“A lot of eligible people should take it. Because it’s not only good for helping them stay out of the hospital, but it’s good for preventing transmission. … We know that the viral load goes down faster once Paxlovid is taken,” said Chin-Hong.

Chin-Hong also recommended consulting with a health care provider to make sure Paxlovid doesn’t have adverse reactions with other medications, “so you don’t have to go on the run” once you test positive for the virus.

There is no longer a shortage of Paxlovid, and the eligibility criteria for obtaining the drug are quite broad. Factors that may make a patient eligible include having high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma or diabetes; being overweight; be physically inactive; be a current or former smoker; or have depression, anxiety, or a fear-related disorder.

The US government has a website that lists which pharmacies stock COVID medications.

Older people who have a “Paxlovid plan reduce their risks indoors and there’s no reason they can’t go outside,” Chin-Hong said.

Are more restrictions possible?

Although officials stress that it is impossible to know what the future holds, they have so far indicated that a return to COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and activities is not in the offing at this time.

Statewide, the California Department of Public Health has not set any specific benchmarks that allow restrictions to be re-imposed.

“As we have learned throughout the pandemic, each wave and each variant brings with it unique characteristics relative to the specific conditions of our neighborhoods and communities (for example, level of immunity),” the department wrote in its Monday statement. . “Therefore, rather than setting specific thresholds or triggers, California will continue to quickly and agilely assess data to determine how best to manage future changes in virus behavior.”

One potential area of ​​change is public transportation, as the legal fate of a federal mask mandate in those settings remains up in the air.

“We continue to monitor federal action on the public transit issue and will announce any additional state policy changes as needed,” the state department of public health said.

In LA County, however, officials have said they would reinstitute a universal indoor public mask mandate if the region passes the CDC’s high community level for COVID-19.

“To avoid moving to the high community level, which means very high transmission and stress on the health care system, residents, workers, and businesses should not shy away from reinstating or adhering to safety practices that are known to reduce infection. transmission,” Ferrer said. “This includes wearing masks indoors; conducting tests when people are sick, exposed, or gathered; and be up to date on vaccinations.

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