Millions of vaccinated Calif. residents forced to wear masks indoors

August 3, 2021 Amber Coakley US 0

FILE – In this Nov. 24, 2020, file photo, Juan Avellan, center, and others wear masks while working out in an indoor class at a Hit Fit SF gym amid the coronavirus outbreak in San Francisco. Health officials in San Francisco and six other Bay Area counties announced Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 that they are reinstating a mask mandate for all indoor setting as COVID-19 infections surge because of the highly contagious delta variant. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 9:56 AM PT – Tuesday, August 3, 2021

California health bureaucrats are struggling to get their story straight as they unleash yet another lockdown mandate on about 7 million residents.

During a press conference on Monday, Dr. Sundari Mase of Sonoma County confirmed everyone in eight Bay Area counties have to wear face masks in public indoor settings. She said this even applies to vaccinated residents because they are testing positive for COVID and spreading the so-called Delta variant.

“In many cases, our hospitals aren’t even admitting vaccinated individuals, especially if they are asymptomatic,” Dr. Mase expalined. “Nonetheless, there is evidence that vaccinated people can spread the virus to others…that is why everyone must wear face coverings when in public indoor settings.”

This comes in stark contrast to Berkeley County physician Dr. Lisa Hernandez’s message moments later in which she urged residents to get vaccinated because it will “protect you and those around you.”

“If you are twelve or older, we urge you to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” she stated. “It will protect you, those around you and help keep our region safer.”

While it’s unclear if forcing vaccinated residents to wear masks will inspire unvaccinated residents to get the jab, one thing is clear: business owners are concerned about how the latest health order will burden small businesses. Starting on Tuesday, more than half of California will now be under mask mandates, which is about six weeks after the economy apparently reopened.