Los Angeles will once again mandate that everyone wears masks indoors

During my recent visit to California, I found that the state's reopening has mostly meant a return to normalcy — resembling life before the pandemic in many ways.

Under the state's updated guidelines, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, and all other indoor spaces can operate at full capacity. Vaccinated individuals are no longer obligated to wear masks indoors, although the largest county is now preparing to tighten some of these new regulations.

As reported by various media outlets and health experts this afternoon, starting at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, everyone in Los Angeles County will again be required to wear masks indoors in public places.

Importantly, this new mandate applies universally — even those who are fully vaccinated will need to wear masks.

This shift is perplexing yet somewhat anticipated, considering the swift emergence of a new, highly contagious variant of COVID-19, commonly known as the "delta variant."

Currently, slightly over 69% of residents aged 16 and older in Los Angeles County have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, leaving a considerable portion of the population still at risk.

While fully vaccinated individuals face a low risk, it’s impractical to require businesses to verify each customer's vaccination status to determine mask-wearing—mandating masks universally might be the most effective way to ensure adherence.

At this point, the county has no plans for immediate additional restrictions, and this is likely to continue as long as case numbers don’t escalate further.

However, if community transmission continues to be a concern, new measures could be introduced, as stated by Dr. Muntu Davis, the Los Angeles County health officer, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "We are considering all options if the situation deteriorates, which is why we must act promptly," he remarked.

In Las Vegas, all employees at the Venetian and Palazzo are mandated to wear masks indoors, effective July 17, regardless of their vaccination status. A company spokesperson stated:

Following new guidance from the Southern Nevada Health District, we require all Team Members (vaccinated or unvaccinated) to wear company-provided face masks while working in indoor public areas and places where people gather. Additionally, we've updated our signage at public entrances to reflect this new SNHD guidance. Complimentary face masks are available for our guests at Front Desks, Grazie Desks, and Concierge Desks.

With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise across the United States, it's likely that additional precautions will be implemented soon.