County health recommends masking indoors, reinforces COVID protocols
With a continued large number of COVID-19 cases in Tulare County and local hospitals continuing to be overwhelmed with patients severely sick with COVID-19, Tulare County Health Officer Dr. Karen Haught has recommending all Tulare County residents and visitors wear face coverings when indoors.
The recommendation also calls for everyone to wear masks while at large outdoor gatherings.
State guidelines have basically called for everyone regardless of vaccine status to wear masks while indoors. The county health department reinforced that guideline for Tulare County on Thursday.
While statistics over the last couple of days indicate the number of overall cases may be leveling off, the number of those who severely sick as a result of the Delta variant remain high.
“I am extremely concerned with the continued increases in cases locally with the Delta variant being more contagious and spreading rapidly in Tulare County. It is strongly recommended that all individuals wear a face covering or mask when indoors in public buildings or businesses and when outdoors in crowds,” Haught said. “Masking and vaccines are the two best tools we have to prevent transmission and severe illness from COVID-19. We strongly urge our residents and the public to mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
The recommendation applies to those who are vaccinated as well as those who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19. Masking is required for those not vaccinated.
While vaccines remain the most effective against COVID-19, universal indoor masking is the least disruptive and most immediately impactful additional measure to curb the spread of the virus and reduce the demands being placed on our hospitals and the health care system,” the county health department stated. “Everyone needs to take all necessary precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19, so that we refrain from continuing to overwhelm our local hospitals. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is proven most effective, and implementing prevention measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 can also make a safer environment for our children who are not yet able to be vaccinated.
All individuals who test positive must isolate for 10 days from the onset or start of symptoms or isolate for 10 days from their positive test if asymptomatic and should remain home and away from others for that entire period. This includes those who have received a positive result from a home test or rapid antigen test.
Those who are unvaccinated who have come into close contact with COVID must stay at home for 10 days after their last contact with a positive case, should continue to monitor symptoms and avoid high-risk individuals for 14 days and maintain masking.
Those who are fully vaccinated who have come into close contact with COVID don’t need to quarantine but need to monitor symptoms and maintain masking.
Unvaccinated individuals who have come into contact with COVID should be tested immediately. If the test is negative they should still remain at home and be tested again 5 to 7 days later or immediately if symptoms develop. If they again test negative they can end their quarantine after eight days. If testing isn’t done quarantine should be done for 10 days.
Fully vaccinated individuals should be tested three to five days after they have had a contact with a COVID case even if they don’t have symptoms.
Individuals should be tested either through pharmacies, health care providers or at any free testing sites in the county which can be found at https://tchhsa.org
Everyone eligible for the vaccine who hasn’t yet been vaccinated should be vaccinated. Those who have had COVID-19 in the past, becoming vaccinated significantly decreases the risk of a repeat infection. Everyone also needs to adhere to other essential layers of prevention, including face coverings in indoor public spaces and crowded situations, avoiding crowds and gatherings, and physical distancing as much as possible.
Individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should contact their doctor or health care provider to be tested as soon as possible. Those who test positive for COVID-19 are urged to speak and cooperate with representatives from Tulare County Public Health when contacted to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 variants.
“COVID-19 vaccines continue to be highly effective at protecting and preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death,” the health department stated.
Visit the Tulare County COVID-19 Vaccine webpage, https://covid19.tularecounty.ca.gov/covid19-vaccine/ for vaccination locations, including a full listing of health care providers and local pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccinations. Those seeking to be vaccinated can also visit Myturn.ca.gov and schedule an appointment.