According to one report, the Bay Area has the highest rates of COVID-19 infection in California.
That’s why twelve Bay Area health officials are emphasizing the importance of taking safety precautions, including continued mask-wearing indoors, as the region experiences a new surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
The current wave is fueled by highly contagious Omicron subvariants. Bay Area counties are seeing increases in reported cases, levels of virus in sewage, and hospitalizations.
However, infection figures are believed to be much higher than reported due to the widespread use of home testing.
In response, Bay Area health officials reiterated their continued strong support for people to continue wearing masks indoors, keep testing on hand and make sure they are up to date on vaccinations or get boosters when eligible.
“While San Mateo County is not currently considering implementing a local health order to require indoor mask wearing, we emphasize that this is a time for everyone to take advantage of all protective measures they can,” said San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow.
And the fact is that, after the president Joseph Biden reported this week that the country had reached one million deaths due to COVID-19, experts stressed the need for continued vigilance against the virus.
Although not required, the California Department of Public Health strongly recommends wearing masks for most indoor public settings, and health officials said that N95 or KN95 masks, as well as well-fitting surgical masks in such settings, are a good option that will help people protect their health.
They also stressed that vaccines remain the best protection against severe illness and death from COVID-19.
Health officials say people should also stay home if they feel sick and get tested right away.
They also recommend getting tested after possible exposure and limiting large gatherings to well-ventilated spaces or outdoors.
For people who are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19 infection, they explained that there are medications available that can reduce your chances of severe illness and death, so they called to check with your health care provider immediately if you test positive.
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