California Citizens Get State's Blessing To Start Unmasking Soon

But not so fast, Angelenos. No return to normal for you.

Good news for most (but unfortunately not nearly all) residents of California: Officials will be lifting the state's indoor mask mandate next week for those who are vaccinated.

California's on the other side of the omicron spike now, and new infections are plunging. On Monday afternoon, state health officials announced they'll be ending the indoor mask mandate on February 15 (sorry to everybody with Valentine's Day dates—be sure to smile with your eyes!) and increasing attendance limits to outdoor activities.

Officials also announced they're rethinking school masking mandates, so children may soon be free from masking up at all times indoors.

It's also worth noting the political timing of this announcement, which comes right on the heels of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and San Francisco Mayor London Breed all being photographed at a Los Angeles Rams playoff game in Inglewood without masks.

While it would be great to celebrate the return to a certain level of normalcy, not everybody in California will get to participate. Only the state's order will be lifted. Counties that have implemented their own mask mandates have the freedom to continue them. The most populous county in California—Los Angeles County—has announced that it will not be lifting its mandate. Most other counties seem happy to let the mask mandates go, but the 10 million people who live in the borders of L.A. County (and those who come into the county) will still have to mask up indoors, and county health officials have their own calculations for when they'll let people unmask.

At the end of January, one county supervisor, Kathryn Barger, called for the lifting of the county's masking policy, noting that "they're not consistently followed or enforced. We need to trust the public to make the best personal decisions for themselves based on their unique risks and circumstances."

And that's pretty much what happened when Los Angeles County temporarily lifted its mask mandate last summer. Some people took their masks off. Others who were still uncomfortable left them on. I was frequently the only unmasked person in my local grocery store. Nobody harassed me for not wearing a mask, and I didn't think ill of people who decided to keep wearing theirs.

Supervisor Holly Mitchell disagrees, telling the Los Angeles Times, "COVID-19 transmissions, quite frankly, disproportionately impact the everyday workers who make up the backbone of this very local economy. They are disproportionately brown and Black workers who must go to their jobs every day and interact with people every day."

Mitchell told the Times she supports the masking mandate because masks help reduce transmission. More and more research about masks and transmission is showing that claim to not be entirely true. The Times follows up her quote by referencing a new study published Friday and promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Monday that claims masks of all types have been proven to reduce the likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19.

Here's how the Los Angeles Times summarized the study results:

People who wore N95 or KN95 masks in public indoor settings had an 83% lower chance of testing positive; those who wore surgical masks had a 66% lower chance; and those who wore cloth masks had a 56% lower chance.

That's certainly what the CDC wanted the media and public to take away from the study, but that's not actually what the study indicates. Reason's Jacob Sullum noted on Monday that the study actually acknowledged that the results for wearing cloth masks were not statistically significant. And the way the study was carried out actually makes it impossible to determine whether masks or other factors were responsible for the lower transmission rates for those wearing surgical or KN95 masks.

"Following the science" should mean actually paying attention to what the science says, but here the Times is repeating a government agency's inaccurate interpretation of the science. That's not the same thing.

Comments

[Chumby]

You never needed their permission to opt out of wearing a face diaper.

[Don't look at me!]

But everyone will die now!

[Himoss23]

Everyone was going to die anyhow, so yeah.

[Full Of Buckminster]

Those in Orange County, CA aren’t waiting, including businesses. Most haven’t been wearing masks since the Feb. 15 date was announced. It’s pretty apparent that very few bought into the latest mandate, and I think most politicians are getting that, especially with scenes like Canada unfolding.

[ElvisIsReal]

They are going to try the same scam with the kids that they did the parents -- get your shot and you can take the mask off.

Meanwhile millions and millions of kids are going to school without masks all around the world, and nearly all of them are fine.

[Bill Godshall]

I've only worn a mask several times during the past year (i.e. three different court houses and a doctor's office required them for entry, and those visits were very important).

But otherwise I've refused to wear a mask anywhere. Many/most businesses here in Pittsburgh still have signs on front doors that say "masks strongly encouraged", which I've ignored.

For a long time, I refused to go into stores or businesses that still have signs stating "masks required", and instead showed my extended middle finger to those inside the front door. But recently I began just walking into those stores and businesses (pretending to not see/read the sign), and none of the employees have told me to wear a mask. Seems like nobody wants to enforce mask mandates except left wing dictatorial Democrats.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

But otherwise I've refused to wear a mask anywhere. Many/most businesses here in Pittsburgh still have signs on front doors that say "masks strongly encouraged", which I've ignored.

Lucky you. Masks required here in my state, and the in Seattle, very much enforced.

[VULGAR MADMAN]

You don’t live in North Korea do you?

[ElvisIsReal]

Inslee's been going as fast as he can, but we're not quite there yet.

[Dick Hardwood]

No one is in eastern WA. Even at our the Spokane courthouse no one says anything, unless you’re in an actual courtroom in session. Even then, I only had to out one in to walk in and out. I was allowed to remove it while testifying.

Even though just about every private business has the sign, almost none of them say anything. The only private business that have been real assholes about it is the Apple Store.

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Time for a truck blockade.

[MK Ultra]

9:30 Club warned me twice to get the mask back over my mouth. A third time would have gotten me kicked out. Everything in DC sucks even worse now.

[Dillinger]

the easiest plan for me has been to stay the fuck out of Chinafornia

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Freedom isn’t granted by any goddamn state.

[Stuck in California]

I read that LA Times article this morning. Glad they put it here, with the citation to that bullshit study the CDC is touting -- repeated uncritically -- and all the "But there is still transmission" statements.

LA, and other "experts" elsewhere in the state, really are still thinking like zero covid. How the fuck do you not realize that the horse is out of that barn, the barn has burned down, and so have all the corrals on the ranch. You can't close the door on covid 2 years down the road.

[Overt]

This is the big problem- they have become such an insular echo chamber that I can GUARANTEE you that nobody involved in publishing the LA Times article is even aware that there are problems with that study. They just get their twitter feed and keep on keeping on.

[Brandybuck]

I have friends deathly afraid that the the county will follow the state in removing the mandate. These friends rarely leave their homes anyway. They're nearly all OCD, in in the very real clinical sense. They think I'm "brave" for going into work each day.

And like the politicians, they think the goal is literally zero cases or 100% vaccination. Neither is going to happen. We still get the occasional case of Polio in the world, and that's caused by less than 100% vaccination from history's most effective and successful vaccine ever.

If we can get COVID-19 deaths down to twice the number of flu deaths (around 100, 000 per year) I would be extremely happy. But the zero infection number is an absolute fantasy.

By the time we realized we had a pandemic on our hands, the barn had already burned down. No amount of totalitarian lockdown could have stopped it. Which is why the original goal was to flatten the curve. Even that got fucked up because we still have an ICU bed shortage two years later.

[I, Woodchipper]

i know a friend who is seriously not planning to leave the house until the little child they have is old enough to get vaccinated.

[Brandybuck]

Which is borderline child abuse in my book.

[Nardz]

It's very telling that you consider it borderline.
Fucking sick

[Overt]

Rather than badgering people to get a vaccine that only protects themselves, maybe you should be badgering your deathly afraid friends?

[Brandybuck]

I have badgered them to stop obsessing over infection numbers but look at the hospitalization, ICU, and death numbers instead. For those who are vaccinated the risk is very low.

But the media loves to fearmonger, and some people are more susceptible to fearmongering than others.

[VULGAR MADMAN]

The risk is low for anyone who isn’t old or obese. Just stop fighting your rear guard action and surrender.

[Nardz]

Listing "0 covid" as the goal is how they (lie) give the thin veneer of altruism to their totalitarianism and child abuse.
It will never be 0 covid, so the beatings will continue.

[Unicorn Abattoir]

The most populous county in California—Los Angeles County—has announced that it will not be lifting its mandate.

But you can still going into garages
for exotic massages
making up for all the time gone by

[CE]

The mask mandate was lifted here last June, after the initial hysteria died down. But then it was reinstated a few weeks later when the Delta variant kicked in. It will be great if it is finally gone, but I don't exactly trust my local county health commandant to follow the science.

But even when the mandate was lifted (briefly), most people here still wore their masks. Not necessarily to stop COVID, but so other shoppers wouldn't think they might be Republicans.

[I, Woodchipper]

^ this is definitely a thing

[sarcasmic]

Maine lifted their mask requirements a while ago. However, due to popular demand from businesses and citizens alike, the city of Portland recently instituted an indoor mask mandate. Assholes. Any shopping that I did there I now do in tax-free New Hampshire.

[I, Woodchipper]

The Bay Area is even worse than L.A.

[jimc5499]

"but so other shoppers wouldn't think they might be Republicans.

Hit it right on the head. The real reason behind this bullshit.

[Agammamon]

But not so fast, Angelenos. No return to normal for you.

I disagree - begging for permission is perfectly normal for these people.

[Rob Misek]

Is that because a record number of Americans are dying daily from covid19? Over 2500 every day.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

The sharp uphill rise in cases and deaths which looks as bad as... or worse than previous rises, depending on where on the graph you look, requires careful contextualization. You can't just throw 'death rates' or 'case rates' in our faces as a bludgeon.

[Nardz]

Little do the branch covidoans care that non-covid deaths are up 40% in males age 18-64 this year.

[Angry Porcupine]

IDK. I have been vaxed, boosted and still got the shit. Just proof that we cannot trust the govt.

[I, Woodchipper]

dying daily "with" is combined with dying daily "of"

Everyone knows that by this point. Why are you ignoring this?

[Rob Misek]

The table is described as dying DUE to covid19.

http://ourworldindata.org/grapher/daily-covid-deaths-7-day?tab=table

[Brandybuck]

> They are disproportionately brown and Black workers who must go to their jobs every day and interact with people every day.

And from my perspective it's these Black and Latino workers who are least likely to be wearing masks. To be fair, White blue collar workers do to, but they invariably wear them below their noses. So pretty much the only people wearing masks in this state, even in the proggies counties, are the White and Asian white collar workers. Oh, and the school kids while they are on school grounds.

[Nardz]

One way to identify a race essentialist: when they capitalize "black" and/or "white"

[Angry Porcupine]

LA is a cesspool. They and the bay area fools are the reason the rest of the country hates us. I hope they keep leaving for Texas so we can get the state back in order, unlikely, but never hurts to dream. Anyone who's been to so cal would understand why some hope it falls into the ocean. But they continually vote for the same tards so I can't feel sorry for them.

[Brandybuck]

I'm from here. I used to joke that I was the last native Californian left.

The state is great. Best beaches, best coasts, best hills, best mountains, best skiing, best weather, etc. Its fucking awesome. We just gotta figure out how to get rid of the people.

[MakeOrwellFictionAgain]

Best beaches? You mean when there aren't sewage spills or oil spills? Oh yeah, that $23 day use parking fee imposed by the State of California is great too!

[Brandybuck]

As I said, we gotta get rid of the people.

[MakeOrwellFictionAgain]

To that, I give you are resounding "Amen"!

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Californians barely qualify as “people “.

[MakeOrwellFictionAgain]

Best skiing? Clearly you've never been to Colorado, Utah or Idaho. Mammoth and Tahoe are nice but they are far from best. Best weather, yes. Best hills? No way. Ever been to South Dakota or Texas or Tennessee? Bests mountains? Yosemite rocks but if you've ever been to Teton, Yellowstone or any of the surrounding area you'd know that what you're saying is patently false.

[Brandybuck]

Wow, who pissed in your cornflakes?

[Don't look at me!]

You did.

[MakeOrwellFictionAgain]

Nobody really gives a fuck what Dear Leader Newsom or Mayor Yoga Pants say any more. We know that the sum weight of their character, integrity and honesty is zero.

[Overt]

And we see now that in Virginia, the Loudoun County School District was instructing principles on how to arrest children who have exercised their option to decline masking (as provided by their duly elected Governor).
https://twitter.com/nedryun/status/1490508166815227905/photo/2

Notice that the Police Department has said they will *not* enforce any trespass orders for maskless kids, unless they receive a warrant (aka order) from a magistrate. And so, the district security team gives instructions on how to get a warrant from a magistrate.

There is no end to this evil. Until the people in Los Angeles and Virginia and everywhere else stop screaming at each other and instead scream at these evil leaders, this shit is going to continue.

[Utkonos]

Let me guess—-my county—Santa Clara—doesn’t….um, sorry but I can’t help the pun this one time….count?

[MakeOrwellFictionAgain]

Sadly, California as it stands today is irredeemable. The cancer that is the Democratic Party has metastasized to every organ, muscle and orifice of the once thriving state. They are parasites who are slowly but surely killing their host. When they have decimated the land and cannibalized themselves in the process, we can rebuild again from scratch.

[Think It Through]

"everyday workers who make up the backbone of this very local economy. They are disproportionately brown and Black workers."

Disproportionate to what?

And, cite?