City Supports County’s Recommendation to Wear Masks In Indoor Public Spaces as Delta Variant Threat Looms

The city’s public health director on Tuesday told Pasadena Now that the city supports the L.A. County’s recommendation to encourage people to wear facial masks in indoor public spaces where everyone’s vaccination status is unknown.
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The recommendation by Pasadena Health Department Director Dr. Ying-Ying Goh came one day after county health officials urged residents to wear masks while in public indoor spaces to stem the spread of the emerging Delta variant, which has not been detected in any Pasadena cases.

“Increasing reports about the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV2 virus as much more infectious and possibly causing more serious illness are very concerning,” Goh said, “The CDC anticipates the Delta variant will be the predominant strain in the US in the next few months, and it has been identified in LA County. Initial evidence suggests that vaccination provides significant protection against illness from this variant, but much is still unknown and protection may be somewhat less than for prior variants.

Given this uncertainty, as scientists work to gather more information about this variant, it is best for Pasadena residents to protect themselves with those risk mitigation measures that we know are effective.”

Goh called on local residents to get vaccinated and help connect their friends and family who are not yet vaccinated to a vaccine opportunity as soon as possible.
“Full vaccination appears to provide much greater protection against the Delta variant than a partial 2-dose vaccine series, so be sure to get both doses if receiving Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.”

Goh also said masks should be worn in high risk, such as when indoors in public places where you don’t know everyone’s vaccination status. This could include stores, gyms, events, etc.

“Finally, remember that there are many people who are not yet eligible for vaccine (such as children under 12 years of age) and others whose immune systems might not be able mount a strong response to the vaccine. COVID-19 virus, including the Delta variant, poses more risk to unvaccinated individuals, so modify your activities and make choices to protect these people in your family or community,” Goh said.

So far, 11,335 Pasadena residents have been infected with the virus. No fatalities have been reported since June 3, with the local death toll holding at 249.

“With the more contagious, more potent Delta strain of COVID-19 taking hold in L.A. County, the agency strongly recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places as a precautionary measure,” the county statement said.

There has been no talk of another lockdown or closing businesses.

As of June 12, the Delta variant accounted for nearly half of all new cases in the county, officials said.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that Delta variants are now responsible for about one in every five new infections across the country, up from approximately one in every 10 the week before,” the statement said.

“Public Health strongly recommends people wear masks indoors in settings such as grocery or retail stores; theaters and family entertainment centers, and workplaces when you don’t know everyone’s vaccination status,” the statement continued.

“Until we better understand how and to whom the Delta variant is spreading, everyone should focus on maximum protection with minimum interruption to routine as all businesses operate without other restrictions, like physical distancing and capacity limits,” the statement said.

Fully vaccinated individuals appear to be well-protected from the new strain. However, protection is not as effective after a single dose of the two-dose vaccine regimens as with the original form of the virus, said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County Director of Public Health.

Last week, Ferrer called COVID-19 a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

According to the CDC, the percentage of Delta variant cases is expected to double every two weeks.

“While COVID-19 vaccine provides very effective protection preventing hospitalizations and deaths against the Delta variant, the strain is proving to be more transmissible and is expected to become more prevalent,” Ferrer said.
“Mask wearing remains an effective tool for reducing transmission, especially indoors where the virus may be easily spread through inhalation of aerosols emitted by an infected person,” she said.
Infections identified in those who have become infected after being fully vaccinated have been mild, authorities said.
As of Monday, L.A. County represented 34% of California’s COVID-19 infections and 39% of the state’s fatalities.