TimesOC: It’s best to don those masks indoors again, vaccinated or not, health agency confirms
Good morning, it’s Wednesday, Aug. 4. I’m Carol Cormaci, bringing you today’s TimesOC newsletter with the latest roundup of news and events.
Orange County health officials have taken a wait-and-see approach this summer after an indoor mask mandate was put into place by neighboring Los Angeles County on July 17, when it became clear COVID-19 cases had begun an alarming surge that’s largely blamed on the Delta variant. L.A. was at the forefront of that movement, with the state of California issuing its own indoor mask guidance on July 28 that is not as strict as L.A.’s.
By the next day, O.C. residents were advised by their county Health Care Agency it was time to follow the state’s guidelines and resume wearing a mask indoors regardless of one’s vaccine status, according to a report by my colleague Sara Cardine. There is still some soft-pedaling going on at the state and local level, as Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, deputy health director for the agency, told Cardine in an email that wearing a mask indoors for vaccinated residents is “recommended,” while it remains mandatory for the unvaccinated.
“Currently California is considered to have ‘substantial’ transmission of COVID and some counties have high transmission,” Chinsio-Kwong wrote in her emailed response to Cardine’s questions. “Because of the ‘substantial-high transmission’ of COVID in our community, universal masking in indoor public settings is recommended for [the] fully vaccinated.”
As Cardine notes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its own mask guidelines, after learning the Delta variant strain of the coronavirus could still be transmitted by people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
And so conscientious fully vaccinated folks are masking up after fleeting weeks of freedom. As my colleagues Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II and Melissa Hernandez, write in their July 15 story on L.A.’s strict indoor mask mandate, “Vaccinated people are, in essence, being asked to make a sacrifice to help slow coronavirus spread among the unvaccinated.”
Not vaccinated yet but ready to be? The Orange County Fair is offering free COVID-19 vaccinations to walk-in visitors on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday until the fair comes to an end on Aug. 15.
MORE NEWS
— An Orange County man was arrested on suspicion of participating in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S.Capitol after selfies he’d shared with members of a church group following the insurrection were reported to the FBI. Glen Allen Brooks, 61, was released on bond pending future court appearances.
— The president of Blizzard, maker of “Warcraft” and “Diablo” video games, is leaving the company, it was announced Tuesday. The departure of J. Allen Brack comes about two weeks after the filing of a California lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination and harassment. An employee walkout was held outside the Activision Blizzard building in Irvine last week and was attributed primarily to anger over the company’s response to the lawsuit.
— A man who fatally beat a woman with a tree branch in a Costa Mesa park in 2018 has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder on Thursday.
SPORTS
— With 52 wins and 54 losses following a Monday loss to the Texas Rangers, the Angels aren’t likely to turn things around in a major way for the season, so they’ve started giving some of their younger players time on the field, reports sports writer Jack Harris. “We’re at that point organizationally right now, it’s the right time to give opportunities to young players like this,” manager Joe Maddon said this week.
— Hockey player Ryan Getzlaf, 36, last week agreed to terms for a one-year contract to continue playing with the Anaheim Ducks during the coming NHL season.
— Balboa Yacht Club’s Jeffrey Petersen and his crew sailed through the finish line in the decisive race of the 54th annual Governor’s Cup International Youth Match Racing Championship on Saturday. “I love that boat a lot,” Petersen said. “You’ll see pictures of me. I went and kissed it, said, ‘Thank you, boat.’ I mean, the boats are great, but this one in particular has a got a little special place in our hearts now.”
— For a look at of how some of our homegrown O.C. athletes were fairing as of early this week in the Summer Olympics, check out reporter Matt Szabo’s roundup.
LIFE & LEISURE
— Hungry visitors to Huntington Beach who might also want to partake in an alcoholic beverage have a new beachside watering hole on Beach Boulevard at Pacific Coast Highway. The new concessions spot contains a full bar with a 120-foot seated counter overlooking the sand.
— An Orange County Fair fun fact: Of the 23 bands booked to play at the Hangar during this year’s fair, which comes to a close next week, 22 of them are tribute bands. My colleague Andrew Turner interviewed the leaders of two tribute groups to find out what makes them so popular with the crowds.
— Laguna Beach plans to launch a new on-demand neighborhood transportation program for the Arch Beach Heights, Bluebird Canyon and Top of the World communities in the fall. The rideshare service will be accessible via a mobile app or by calling the city’s transit dispatch line.
— With the “Jungle Cruise” movie now in theaters, game critic Todd Martens takes a closer look at how the making of the film led to the revamping of the popular Disneyland ride of the same name. It turns out the company’s Imagineers had been looking for an opportunity to sensitively update the Adventureland ride. Speaking of Disneyland, its new Magic Key annual pass program was announced Tuesday. There are four options to choose from, ranging in price from $399 to $1,399.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
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