LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s Public Health officer is once again urging community members to wear masks in public to curb the spread of COVID-19, at the same time as other health leaders around the region are making mask-wearing in public mandatory.
On Monday, Dr. Gary Pace strongly encouraged all Lake County residents to wear masks when in public.
It was the same day he reported the county’s fifth confirmed case of COVID-19.
“The predicted rise of cases and severe illness in our area has not materialized due to the significant effort that the community has made to ‘shelter in place,’” said Pace, who issued a countywide shelter in place order on March 19 that has been extended to May 3.
“Cases that have popped up do not appear to have spread within the county, thanks to people’s decreased mobility, use of masks and care with handwashing. Limiting out-of-county travel has also slowed entry of the virus into our area,” Pace said in his Monday statement.
He urged people to continue to follow the shelter in place order, to stop all nonessential activities and maintain good hygiene and routine cleaning.
Pace said Lake County’s low numbers at this point indicate “we may be able to avoid the severe crush of illness that has unfolded in some urban areas like New York, New Orleans and Detroit. A month ago, the momentum for such a surge seemed to be building in our neighboring counties to the south, but local and state efforts to stop the spread clearly have been successful.”
He continued, “Since masking is one way to limit spread in settings where vulnerable individuals are present, I am increasing the strength of the recommendations for face coverings. At this point, there is no intention to mandate face coverings for the general public, but I strongly encourage their use anytime someone goes out of the house.”
Pace is taking a different approach from that of some neighboring counties.
On Friday, Mendocino County Public Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan issued a revised shelter in place order that made facial coverings in public mandatory in certain instances, such as during recreation activities in parks. That county has had four confirmed cases, all now reported to have recovered.
Then, on Monday, Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase went further, issuing a new health order requiring everyone to wear face coverings in public starting at 12:01 a.m. Friday, April 17.
Sonoma County had 152 confirmed cases and two deaths as of Monday night.
“All persons shall wear facial coverings before they enter any indoor facility besides their residence, any enclosed open space, or while outdoors when the person is unable to maintain a six-foot distance from another person at all times,” Sonoma County’s order states.
Employers who continue to operate and require their employees to leave their residence to work or provide a service must ensure that their employees comply with the order, and governments and business owners are allowed to refuse admission or service to any customer or visitor who fails to wear facial coverings, Mase’s order states.
With N95 and surgical masks continuing to be in short supply, Pace said they should be reserved for use by health care professionals, who are required to wear masks at work, as are workers in congregate-living facilities, like assisted living or memory care sites.
First responders are encouraged to continue following established practices for personal protective equipment, and workers in grocery stores and pharmacies are likewise strongly encouraged to follow recent Federal Drug Administration guidance to wear facial coverings when at work, Pace said.
The CDC cautions, “Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.”
Guidance and options for making your own cloth masks are provided here.
For Lake County-specific COVID-19 information, visit Lake County Health Services Department’s website, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-263-8174 during business hours.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Lake County Public Health officer renews call to wear masks; Sonoma County requires masks in new health order
- Elizabeth Larson
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