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Orange County Coronavirus

Orange County Officials No Longer Require Masks During Coronavirus Pandemic

JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

The Fully Open CA protest on Main St. in Huntington Beach on May 1, 2020.

By Spencer Custodio Spencer Custodio | June 11, 2020
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Orange County residents are no longer required to wear cloth masks in public during the coronavirus pandemic after health officials walked back a mandate on Thursday, following weeks of pushback from County Supervisors and the abrupt resignation of the local public health officer.


Editor’s Note: As Orange County’s only nonprofit & nonpartisan newsroom, Voice of OC brings you the best, most comprehensive local Coronavirus news absolutely free. No ads, no paywalls. We need your help. Please, click here to make a tax-deductible donation today to support your local news.


Former Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick abruptly resigned Monday night following questions about her mask order from Supervisors Michelle Steel and Don Wagner, along with residents. 

She also received numerous threats, with Steel calling one a “death threat” at a news conference last month. 

Steel and Wagner have repeatedly questioned Quick about the masks at the Board’s Tuesday meetings before her resignation. 

OC Health Care Agency Director, Dr. Clayton Chau, is now the acting health officer. 

“It came as a surprise to me when she resigned on Monday,” County CEO Frank Kim said at a Thursday news conference. “Am I concerned, am I disappointed? Sure, we don’t like to see as much transition as we’ve seen in the County Health Care Agency.” 

Although Chau changed the order, he still strongly recommends the masks. 

“I want to be clear this does not diminish the importance of face coverings … wearing a cloth face covering helps to slow the spread of COVID 19 and saves lives,” Chau said at a Thursday news conference. 

Chau, responding to questions from Voice of OC, said the move will create less confusion for residents. 

“We talk about this, the reason is we want to be consistent with the state. So if you look at all the state guidance,” Chau said. “The language around face coverings is ‘should.’ We don’t want to cause any confusion in the public.” 

Steel openly questioned the science behind the masks at Supervisor meetings, and Chau has repeatedly cited various CDC guidelines and other studies. 

“I will always stand by science, even though I work for the Board of Supervisors. But I believe that they hired me to give them the science, that’s all I know … I don’t speak politics,” Chau said Thursday, responding to questions from the press corps. 

Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist at University of California, Irvine, said the County is moving the wrong way. 

“I think it’s a step backwards. I mean where the rubber meets the road, it was a strong recommendation to begin with because with the way enforcement was being done. But it makes it harder now for individual businesses to require masks within their walls because it softens what the County is doing,” Noymer said. 

“It’s sending the message that masks don’t matter as much,” Noymer said. “I’d like to see everyone in the county masking when they go out in public.”

Supervisor Andrew Do, who got his colleagues to adopt a mask requirement for food and pharmacy workers in April, encouraged people to wear the masks if they can’t stay six feet from others. 

“I would still encourage everyone to maintain social distance when possible,” Do said at Thursday’s news conference. “Where you can’t maintain social distance, you wear a face covering. Especially those who are at risk.” 

Nearly all the major grocery store chains, some department stores, some liquor stores and scores of banks require masks. Some banks, like Bank of America, also have an employee standing outside the front door to limit the number of people coming into the branch so people can maintain the CDC-recommended six-foot physical distance from others. 

Chau said he’s worked with the Health Care Agency’s epidemiologists to revise the order. 

He also said by walking the order back, it gives a tool for him to use if the County sees a spike in cases. If not, Chau said, businesses might have to shut down again. 

“If our numbers ever go out of range, we have to submit a remedial plan to the state. So the option would take drastic measures and or close the businesses down. If we don’t have a way to become more drastic in our measures, then we would be forced to close our business sector,” Chau said.  

Before the order was changed, County Sheriff Don Barnes said he would take a light-handed approach to enforcing the mask order. 

“We are not the mask police nor do I intend to be the mask police,” Barnes told Supervisors at the May 26 meeting. 

“So I know there is a ‘shall’ order. Our deputies always have … fallen back on education first to take appropriate measures. But we are not and have not dealt through these issues through enforcement. And I will direct my staff not to direct any enforcement towards the shall issue mask requirement,” Barnes said.

Chau said the order wasn’t being enforced anyway and if numbers spike and he mandates masks, it would have to be enforced. 

Meanwhile, bars, gyms and hair salons are slated to reopen Friday.

Youth sports leagues have not been approved yet by the state, said Kim, noting that there has been much discussion with county officials pressing state officials, adding that County Supervisor Don Wagner has been pushing hard to open up youth leagues given the other openings. 

Quick and Chau have warned Supervisors that virus cases will increase as more people re-enter public life. 

The virus has now killed 202 people out of nearly 8,000 confirmed cases, according to the County’s updated numbers. 

Hospitalizations have steadily been increasing, averaging nearly 300 for the past week. On Thursday, 294 people were hospitalized, including 142 in intensive care units. 

Just over 3,700 people have recovered from the virus and roughly 172,000 tests have been conducted throughout OC, which is home to approximately 3.2 million people. 

Here’s the latest on the virus numbers across Orange County from county data:

Spencer Custodio is a Voice of OC staff reporter. You can reach him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio

How can I sign up for a vaccine?

For full details on the COVID-19 vaccine in Orange County view our Voice of OC vaccine page that is constantly updated and has links of where to register for an appointment: http://bit.ly/occovidvaccine.

What is COVID-19? Do I have it?

INFORMATION View the CDC website. View OC's website. View the latest OC case counts.

TRANSLATIONS See the county's guides in non-English languages. Learn key Coronavirus facts in Vietnamese and Spanish via VietRise. See VietRISE guides in Spanish and Vietnamese.

PROTECTION To limit exposure, the CDC recommends: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with others, cover your mouth and nose with a cloth mask when around others, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

SYMPTOMS The CDC identifies these key symptoms that can occur any time between 2 and 14 days after exposure: Fever or chills, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches,  headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea. If you suspect Coronavirus, CALL your primary medical provider.

EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS If you display any of the following emergency warning signs, seek immediate medical attention: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face.

RISK The CDC identifies people most at risk for serious illness: Older adults, and people who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

What is open?

RESIDENTS The County of Orange offers a list of notices and news on what guidance is given for families and persons.

SCHOOLS The latest information for the county is available from the Orange County Board of Education.

STATE GUIDE TO WHAT IS OPEN A full list of statewide guidelines for what is open and what is closed.

SOCIAL DISTANCING Staying away from other people is called "social distancing." The aim is to SLOW the spread of Coronavirus so as to not overwhelm the nation's health care systems and so that people in need can get help. The Washington Post explains: "The spread (of COVID-19) can be slowed, public health professionals say, if people practice "social distancing" by avoiding public spaces and generally limiting their movement."

What support is available?

STRESS & ANXIETY Stress and anxiety can be triggered by the situation and resources are available to help from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and from the American Psychology Association. Concern over this new virus can make children and families anxious, here are tips on talking with children about COVID-19.

MENTAL HEALTH The County of Orange offers a list of available mental health support services.

FIRST RESPONDERS The County of Orange offers these support services for first responders and health care workers.

BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS The County of Orange offers a list of up-to-date guidelines for business and faith-based/community organizations.

FOOD ASSISTANCE Voice of OC offers a weekly list of available food pantries in Orange County. You can also apply for food benefits over the phone through the CalFresh program at 800-281-9799 or online.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Buses and trains still offer service, but routes have been reduced so make sure to check your route ahead of time.

HOMELESSNESS The County of Orange offers a list of available shelter beds and other resources.

GENERAL FINANCIAL HELP Here are some services:

  •   • Find information on unemployment and disability benefits.
  •   • The Orange County Social Services Agency, despite closing its lobby, is processing online filings for assistance programs. This includes emergency cash assistance for immediate needs like rent or medical bills. The phone line has averaged a 30 minute wait time and offers a callback service, but people are encouraged to apply for benefits online.
  •   • Residents can apply for any of these programs by calling 800-281-9799.

RESTAURANT OWNERS & EMPLOYEES You can find a detailed list of resources available to restaurant owners and employees

How can I help?

VOLUNTEERING A statewide guide offers examples of ways to volunteer safely during Coronavirus. Options include, but are not limited to: donating plasma, making cloth face masks and supporting local food banks. Orange County's Second Harvest Food Bank lists support options online.

DONATIONS An Orange County Community Resilience Fund has been started through the OC Community Foundation to raise money for local nonprofits and volunteer organizations.

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CORONAVIRUS: The latest Orange County news and information.

SUBTOPICS:
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  • Emergencies & Disasters
  • Government
  • Health & Wellness
  • Top Stories
  • Andrew Do
  • Clayton Chau
  • Coronavirus Mask Debate
  • Coronavirus Masks
  • Healthy Communities
  • Michelle Steel
  • Nichole Quick
  • Orange County Coronavirus
  • Orange County Health Department
  • Orange County Mask Order

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  • OC Officials Express Concern Over Death Threat to Public Health Officer Over Mask Order

    Orange County officials on Thursday condemned what they deemed a death threat against County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick earlier this week over her public health order requiring residents wear cloth masks in public as OC moves to reopen businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. 

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