CDC recommends entire Bay Area issue indoor mask mandate
SFGate, by Eric Ting, July 27, 2021
The CDC’s map of California counties by COVID-19 transmission rates. Masks are recommended in red and orange counties. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) – Click here (or on the image) to go to interactive CDC map.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its masking guidance Tuesday to advise that all individuals — including vaccinated ones — wear masks indoors in areas with “high” and “substantial” COVID-19 transmission.
According to the CDC’s map, four Bay Area counties — San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano — are classified as areas of “high” transmission and the other five — Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Sonoma, Napa — are classified as areas of “substantial” transmission. Masking is currently recommended but not required in every Bay Area county except Solano.
Given how Bay Area counties have previously handled the pandemic, it seems highly likely the region will turn their recommendations into mandates following the updated CDC guidance. A mask mandate is currently in effect in Los Angeles County.
Across California, most counties fall into the “high” or “substantial” categories.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday the state would issue updated statewide guidance sometime after the CDC guidance was released.
The CDC said the change in guidance is based on new evidence showing that while fully vaccinated individuals are protected against severe disease from the delta variant, they can transmit it to unvaccinated individuals more easily than other strains of the virus.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that when earlier strains of the virus were dominant, infected vaccinated people were found to have low levels of virus in their nose and throats and were deemed unlikely to spread the virus. That has changed with the delta variant, where Walensky said the level of virus in infected vaccinated people is “indistinguishable” from the level of virus in infected unvaccinated people.
Maskless holiday party at Benicia Raley’s draws concern
Vallejo Times-Herald, by Katy St. Clair, December 31, 2020
Raley’s Benicia holiday party, maskless employees, not socially distanced (Source: Raley’s Benicia Facebook, December 24, 2020 – posted here by the Benicia Independent, not Vallejo Times-Herald)
It began with a social media post of various employees of a Raley’s store in Benicia, smiling for pictures around tables at a potluck holiday party on Christmas Eve — many not wearing masks.
The usual comments began — people horrified that a store would ignore both social distancing and masks, especially while eating. Then “anti-maskers” chimed in about how the virus is overblown. Most importantly, rumors began to spread that several employees at the Benicia store have been out sick.
One employee of Raley’s told the Times-Herald that at least one person at the potluck has contracted COVID-19.
“I was told by a manager in confidence that there have been 21 people total who have gotten COVID-19 who work here,” said the employee. “They are trying to keep it a secret.”
The employee spoke to the Times-Herald on condition of anonymity.
City of Benicia officials say they were told by store management that the store was “currently are not aware of any cases.”
Richard Rodriguez, team leader and general manager at the Benicia Raley’s, denies that 20 employees have been sick with COVID-19.
“No,” he laughed, “that’s not true not at all,” but he said that all further questions should be directed to Ashley Campas at the corporate office, who was not available for comment.
The city, meanwhile, released a statement about the store:
“It has been brought to our attention … that word is spreading on social media of a large number of employees at Raley’s testing positive for COVID-19 … City staff have contacted management and they have indicated that they currently are not aware of any positive cases, although a potluck was held over the holidays.”
“It’s a lie. It’s just a lie,” said the employee. “And that’s what’s concerning me. With everybody that is sick now — the first COVID case here was back in March, so you have to understand that this has been going on for a long time.”
“The city is aware of the party that was held at Raley’s and the concern it has generated,” Mayor Steve Young told the Times-Herald. “We are waiting for confirmation as to whether there are, in fact, employees who have tested positive. Our first concern remains the health and safety of the community as well as the workers.”
The Benicia Independent says that the Solano County Public Health department is investigating, something the Times-Herald has yet to be able to corroborate. But photos show that the store has gone against state regulations for essential workers, with employees at the potluck not wearing protective face coverings and gloves. The State of California requires that all employees wear face masks or coverings at all times.
Raley’s Benicia holiday party, masked employees, not socially distanced (Source: Raley’s Benicia Facebook, December 24, 2020 – posted here by the Benicia Independent, not Vallejo Times-Herald)
As for the denial from store general manager Rodriguez, the employee was miffed that their manager would laugh at the question.
“It hurts my heart that the management thinks this is funny or is a joke,” they said, adding that many there feel that they have to live with the risks involved with working there because they need the job. According to the source, they aren’t given gloves by the store and there is no organization around getting masks or other precautionary things.
“The health department came in yesterday so guess what? I got my temperature taken today and we suddenly have hand sanitizer.”
“In the midst of this dangerous surge of the virus, it is so important that every business and citizen respects and follows the safety protocols put in place for our protection,” Young said.
Members of the Solano County Board of Supervisors meet on Nov. 17, 2020. Prior to the meeting, a small group of protesters angry at mask requirements extended their arms in Nazi salutes and compared the board to the Third Reich.
A small group of anti-mask protesters extended their arms in a Nazi salute and yelled “sieg heil” before a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, angry that they were required to follow virus-prevention guidelines.
Supervisor Skip Thomson said the members of the group were the same four or five people who go to the meetings every week to “regularly oppose anything that Gov. Newsom puts in place the week before, and to criticize the board for requiring masks and social distancing at meetings.”
For those requirements, members of the group compared the council to the Third Reich — which was responsible for creating the Holocaust that killed at least 11 million people. Thomson said Tuesday was not the first time the protesters had done so.
The debacle was first reported by the Solano County news site Daily Republic, which identified the protesters as members of the Solano County Committee of Correspondence, formed to “document all past, present and future usurpations of our God-given rights by this body.”
Attempts by The Chronicle to reach members of that group were unsuccessful Thursday. Other members of the board declined to comment or did not respond to emails seeking comment.
Thomson said some members of the group told him they had medical conditions that prevent them from wearing masks. He said he understands that position — but doesn’t understand why the protesters tried sitting on chairs that had been blocked off for social distancing.
“That is their mentality,” he said. “They don’t want to mask, they don’t want to social distance, and they don’t give a darn about some of the folks sitting next to them,” he said.
He blamed the protesters’ attitudes for contributing to the issue, and said his job was to protect everybody else in the room during the meeting.
“It is because of this attitude that this economy is not being open,” he said. “Until we get the coronavirus under control, our economy will not be coming back,” he said.
From my friend, Marilyn Bardet, September 12, 2020
Marilyn Bardet
Hello dear Friends and Family,
By now I’m sure that each of you has your routine, mask-wearing habit down for social distancing and for simply breathing outside in our smoky air.
But, do you like your mask?
Is it protective against Covid AND smoke (deadly PM2.5 — invisible particulate matter at 2.5 microns that sticks in your lung tissue and sends its toxic gases into your bloodstream)? The invisible particles carry more than dead trees into your lungs, but also the chemicals found in everything combusted in these gross fires: burned out houses, cars, electrical infrastructure, facilities of all kinds. . .
So, your mask needs to be protective for both Covid AND PM2.5.
But, from the evidence I see when I’m out, many people still don’t know that a cloth or paper mask for Covid will not protect against PM2.5. Children, the elderly, and persons with chronic respiratory disease (asthma, COPD, bronchitis) are particularly vulnerable to the risks of exposures to PM2.5. Please tell your friends and family who may not yet know about this.
So, given the amount of smoke and the number of days and weeks we’re facing in Fire Season this year, I’ve done some research and tried out a few types of masks that protect against both Covid and PM2.5.
My criteria: mask must be well designed, fit tight but feel comfortable and breathable for extended use. I do not want to buy disposable “throw-away” type that must be discarded after one day’s use. (This doesn’t apply to medical professionals!!)
So, the reusable/disposable ones I’m recommending are called KN95 masks. Different companies make them. I like the type that has a metal nose piece hidden inside the fabric. These non-cloth masks fit snuggly around the face, are light weight and breathable. They can be reused, but are not washable.
grim mug shot de moi, outside studio door, Sept 10, the day after the apocalyptic “red” day. Oops! my glasses should not have been worn under the mask but on top of it!
ANOTHER TYPE I HIGHLY RECOMMEND:
The GMASK-Graphen Breathing Mask that’s made of a specially patented light weight material (called Graphene), which according to the manufacturer is the strongest, most durable flexible material ever made.
It’s very comfortable to wear, breathable, hand washable, has a pocket inside to put replaceable PM2.5 filters. You can order it at Amazon, in black or grey.
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