Stanislaus County is nearing the threshold for lifting COVID-19 mask requirement
Stanislaus County still has a universal mask order due to COVID-19. But a declining case rate could trigger a lifting of the order next week if disease transmission continues to slow.
The daily case rate dropped to 25.4 per 100,000 population Tuesday. The order, which took effect Sept. 4, sets a margin of 20 cases per 100,000 for lifting the order.
People are required to wear face coverings in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status. The county order has required masks inside stores, offices, other workplaces, bars, theaters and conference centers. It has also required elected officials and the public to mask up for local government meetings.
County public health officials did not offer a prediction on when COVID transmission will be low enough to lift the mask order.
“We continue to monitor this closely and are encouraged with the reduction in cases to date,” county spokeswoman Maria Blanco said by email. “The mask order will be rescinded after the seven-day average case rate, as posted on the dashboard, drops below 20 cases per 100,000 per day.”
If the case reduction continues on the current downward trend, it could reach 20 per 100,000 on Sunday. The order will be rescinded 24 hours after falling below the threshold.
The county face-covering order does not apply to schools, which will continue to follow state guidance.
More signs of fading surge
In a presentation to county supervisors Tuesday, Dr. Julie Vaishampayan, county health officer, cited other indications the delta variant surge is weakening. COVID hospitalizations have been cut in half since early September and were at 153 on Monday before climbing back to 161, including 46 patients in intensive care units. ICU admissions for COVID-19 were over 70 during the worst time for hospitals.
The countywide test positivity rate was 6.9%, down from a high of 13% in mid-August.
Dropping the universal mask order does not mean it will go away permanently. Health officials are concerned about a potentially deadly winter surge of COVID-19, with Thanksgiving Day gatherings seven weeks away and other holidays to follow.
County health officials told supervisors Tuesday they haven’t seen much progress in getting more county residents vaccinated against the coronavirus.
About 55% of eligible county residents, age 12 or older, are fully vaccinated, compared to 66% nationwide. The most COVID-19 infections occur in the 18 to 49 age group, which has a full vaccination rate of 49% in Stanislaus County, leaving half of those adults without adequate vaccine protection.
Vaccine coverage is better in middle-age to older adults, as 66% of people 50 to 64 and 69% of seniors 65-plus have received the shots.
Officials haven’t noticed an increase at vaccination clinics even though the FDA’s emergency authorization for Pfizer now permits a booster dose for seniors 65 or older and for adults at high risk.
Vaishampayan emphasized the risks for pregnant women who are not vaccinated against COVID-19. According to her presentation to supervisors, pregnant women with COVID infections are two times more likely to be admitted to intensive care units and two and a half times more likely to need a ventilator, compared to non-pregnant women their age.
For unvaccinated pregnant women, the risks of maternal death are almost three times higher and the risks of premature birth or still birth are one and a half times and almost three times higher, respectively.
Vaishampayan said there’s no evidence that a vaccine increases the risk of miscarriage, preterm birth or any birth defect.
The health officer noted that COVID vaccination rates in pregnant women are varied by race and ethnicity. Black women age 18 to 49 have the lowest rate (16.6%). The rate is 27% in Hispanic, 34.7% in white and 47.2% in Asian pregnant women.
The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency has information about the COVID pandemic and vaccination opportunities at www.schsa.org.
This story was originally published October 6, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
