California will not allow residents to take advantage of new, relaxed mandates handed down by the Centers for Disease Control for another month, state officials announced today.
State health secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly — citing no actual science behind the decision — said he simply wants to give the state more time to “prepare for the change” and vaccinate more residents.
“This is in no way saying that the science or direction of the CDC’s guidelines is wrong,” he said in a prepared statement. “It’s just giving us some extra time to have this implemented with a high degree of integrity,”
Fully vaccinated Californians are currently not required to wear face masks outdoors except when attending crowded events or when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Ghaly said fully vaccinated people will still have to wear face coverings indoors or in crowed spaces until the the state’s economy fully reopens on June 15.
“This four week period will give Californians time to prepare for this change, while we continue the relentless focus on delivering vaccines particularly to underserved communities and those that were hard hit throughout this pandemic,” Ghaly said.
“In indoor settings outside of one’s home, including public transportation and schools, face coverings continue to be required regardless of vaccination status,” he said.
Last week, the CDC — the organization Americans have been asked to trust based on its scientific research and experitse — said fully vaccinated people should no longer be required to wear face coverings in most public situations.
Many states, including Oregon and Washington, immediately fell in line with the new guidance. New York announced today that it would follow as well.
More than a dozen other states — including Florida, Texas, Arizona and Georgia — abandoned their mandates weeks to months earlier.
California’s decision to buck the trend comes as Governor Gavin Newsom is facing a recall election, fueled mostly by disapproval of his handling of the pandemic.
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