Dear AltaMed Team Member,
Yesterday, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department modified its mask-wearing guideline, which will now require masking for everyone while indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The County’s updated mask-wearing requirement will become effective at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 17. Click here to read about the mask-wearing update.
As a reminder, masks are required at all times by everyone visiting an AltaMed facility—even those who have been fully vaccinated.
The County’s updated mask mandate comes as community transmission of COVID-19 has rapidly increased from moderate to substantial–more than a seven-fold increase in new cases since the June 15 reopening. According to County health officials, wearing a mask while indoors helps reduce the risk of getting and transmitting the virus as concerns over the Delta variant continue. The Delta variant is now considered the state’s dominant strain as it is highly infectious and more transmittable.
Again, we strongly encourage you to speak with patients and those who are not yet vaccinated. AltaMed provides all three COVID-19 vaccines at our clinics and pharmacies—please visit altamed.org/vaccine for information. In addition, we are hosting several community vaccination events—click here for a full list of upcoming events.
We will continue to monitor this ever-changing situation and share pertinent information as it becomes available.
Thank you,
Sherrill Brown, M.D.
Medical Director, Infection Prevention
