Delta Variant: Here’s Why Solano County is Not Recommending Masks Indoors

NBCBayArea, by Terry McSweeney, July 19, 2021

All but one Bay Area county is recommending masking up indoors as COVID cases continue to spike locally and across the nation due to the highly contagious delta variant.

Solano County is sticking to a policy following state guidelines: no masks outdoors for anyone and none indoors for the fully vaccinated, with some exceptions, such as healthcare settings.

“The cases have been occurring over the last two weeks because of July 4 behavior — barbecues, gatherings in people’s backyards,” Solano County Public Health Officer Dr. Bela Matyas said. “So a masking mandate for indoors for shopping, and retail, and restaurants is not going to make any difference. That’s not where it’s being transmitted. It’s being transmitted in people’s homes.”

Meanwhile, Napa County on Monday joined the other seven Bay Area counties in strongly recommending masking when in indoor public settings to slow the spread of the delta variant. The next step could be the return of a mask mandate.

Los Angeles County is already mandating masking after a surge in cases in Southern California.

UCSF’s Dr. George Rutherford does not see the Bay Area going that far, though he sees value in masking.