Los Angeles County has shelved plans to bring back a universal indoor mask mandate as its Covid surge is subsiding and rates of hospitalizations have stabilized, the health director announced Thursday. 

Health director Barbara Ferrer had warn two weeks ago that the LA County Department of Public Health could reintroduce a face covering requirement if trends in hospital admissions continued under criteria set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But yesterday, in the much-anticipated weekly public health briefing, she announced that the nation’s most populous county had swerved the need to re-impose the broad mask rule.

‘We’re on a decline right now, and it’s hard for us to imagine reinstating universal indoor masking when we’re on this significant of a decline,’ Ferrer said. 

It is likely that the county would have seen a rebellion on the matter had they tried to force citizens to wear masks indoors again, with Beverley Hills, Pasadena, El Segundo and Long Beach all having come out to say they would not have enforced the rule.

Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer (speaking at a May 8 public health briefing) has announced that the nation's most populous county will not be bringing in a universal indoor mask mandate

Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer (speaking at a May 8 public health briefing) has announced that the nation’s most populous county will not be bringing in a universal indoor mask mandate

The decision came as the county's level of community transmission remained at the CDC's 'high' level, but was forecast to drop to 'medium' in the coming weeks based on recent Covid data

The decision came as the county’s level of community transmission remained at the CDC’s ‘high’ level, but was forecast to drop to ‘medium’ in the coming weeks based on recent Covid data

‘My City Council colleagues and I strongly believe the decision to wear a mask should be the choice of the individual and should not be imposed by L.A. County,’ El Segundo Mayor Drew Boyles said in a statement made before the announcement. 

The decision came as the county’s level of community transmission remained at the CDC’s ‘high’ level, but was forecast to drop to ‘medium’ in the coming weeks based on recent Covid data. 

Ferrer said that transmission has been dropping steadily since July 23, pointing to flat and declining data. Hospitalizations are also down, ‘potentially signaling the beginning of a downward trend in cases.’

However, she warned that the situation remained under constant monitoring and was subject to revision should the transmission and hospitalization rates start to go the other way. 

Ferrer reminded residents that even though not mandatory, face masks were still an effective and recommended tool for limiting the spready of Covid.

The mask mandate for some indoor spaces, including health care facilities, Metro trains and buses, airports, jails and homeless shelters will remain in place.

The new requirements, had they gone into effect, would have mandated masks be worn at all times in all indoor public spaces, including shared offices, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, retail stores, restaurants and bars, theaters and schools.

Two people pictured wearing face coverings on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, in May 2020

Two people pictured wearing face coverings on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, in May 2020

The United States is currently suffering under a new surge in Covid cases, driven by the highly transmissible, vaccine-dodging BA.5 variant, which now accounts for a majority of cases.

Any renewed mask mandate would have been highly controversial within the county and across the country, as many question the effectiveness of a mandate and the merits of trying to enforce it.

No individuals was cited for refusing to wear a mask under previous mandates, with officials favoring education over dishing out fines and citations.

Lili Bosse, the Democratic mayor of Beverly Hills, told Fox and Friends yesterday that her city would ignore any mask mandate.

She had previously struck down the possibility of enforcing an indoor mask mandate, and the council, led by herself, voted unanimously to not deploy resources. 

Beverly Hills Democrat mayor Lili Bosse (pictured) told Fox & Friends that her city would not enforce an indoor mask mandate if LA County makes it mandatory

Beverly Hills Democrat mayor Lili Bosse (pictured) told Fox & Friends that her city would not enforce an indoor mask mandate if LA County makes it mandatory

Both Long Beach and Pasadena, which fall within LA County but have their own health departments, had also said they would not enforce the mandate.

 ‘The [Long Beach] Health Department strongly encourages people to practice personal responsibility and common-sense measures to protect themselves, their loved ones and the greater community from Covid-19,’ according to a statement from Long Beach. 

‘People are advised to mask indoors when in public places, conduct rapid testing before and three to five days after social gatherings and choose outdoor activities where possible.’

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said she was pleased with Ferrer’s announcement because ‘unenforceable mandates don’t work.’ 

‘I’m hopeful that we will now be able to move on from this heightened focus on masking mandates to what really matters — focusing on promoting the efficacy of vaccines and boosters, improving access to COVID-19 treatments, and continuing to educate our County’s residents on the benefits of masking,’ Barger said in a statement Thursday. 

‘I am comfortable leaving this decision in the public’s very capable hands.’     

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Post source: Daily mail