My update today is coming a little later than usual. That’s because, as you might have seen, new guidance has come out, first from the CDC, then the County of San Diego and just this afternoon from the state. As always, I’ll provide links to the source documents and details below, but here is what’s been going on:
COVID-19 case numbers are back where they were after the holidays.
The CDC has new data showing how variants (including the Delta variant) spread among people who are vaccinated.
The CDC is now recommending wearing a mask in indoor public settings, regardless of your vaccination status, in areas with a high level of spread.
What’s different
Health restrictions have typically become tighter when cases spike, but several things are different this time around:
Vaccines are widely available and appear to be effective at preventing serious illnesses. In San Diego County, 98% of hospitalizations in the last 30 days are among people who are not fully vaccinated.
Health experts are still learning about new variants, some of which are much more easily spread.
Recommended vs required
You may have read that Los Angeles County is requiring masks indoors. The County of San Diego is recommending indoor masking, not requiring it.
