Yolo County Recommends Masking Up Indoors As Delta Variant Spreads

DAVIS (CBS13) — Public health leaders in Yolo County are again urging people, even those who are vaccinated for COVID-19, to wear masks indoors.

On Wednesday, the Yolo County Health Officer recommended that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus. This recommendation comes as the Delta variant has become the dominant strain of COVID-19 being found in the county.

Officials say the Delta variant made up 76% of the positive samples collected from the Healthy Yolo Together COVID-19 testing effort in the county late last month into July.

The recommendation comes a month after California loosened its guidelines, allowing people who are fully vaccinated to go without masks in most situations.

"We had one COVID positive patient in the hospital on June 15th, today we have 10. So, I worry that what we are going to see along with an increase in cases, an increase in hospitalizations and potentially deaths," said Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson.

Health leaders are pleading for people to get vaccinated if and when they can, noting that the vaccines appear to be effective against COVID-19 variants.

"Vaccines remain the absolute best form of protection against COVID-19, and I implore everyone who is eligible to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible," said Dr. Sisson in a statement.

Clothing store Top Line in West Sacramento never stopped requiring customers to wear mask and are now glad the recommendation mirrors their requirements.

"I had a lot of customers that were annoyed," explained store manager Tania Molero, "They think just because they got vaccinated that they are not going to get sick and not get other people sick and I don't believe that."

Workout enthusiast, Krisit Scott, working out at a local gym explained she is not ready to cover back up.

"No thank you, not today Satan, I'm good, I'm over it," she explained. "What is the point of the vaccine if we are not able to wear a mask," said Scott.

Yolo County residents can even get vaccinated at home or at their place of business. People interested in taking advantage of that program, which has been extended to July 30, can call the county at (530) 666-8665 to set up an appointment.

"A fully vaccinated person is less likely to have severe disease or end up in the hospital, but they could still transmit disease to others and that's why I'm asking fully vaccinated people to go ahead and put their mask back on," Dr. Sisson said.