Pasadena, Long Beach Ease Indoor Mask Mandate
LONG BEACH (CBSLA) — Following suit with both the State of California and Los Angeles County, both Pasadena and Long Beach announced an ease of indoor mask requirements Saturday.
The state was the first to ease indoor mask mandates, lifting the statewide requirement in the wake of the Omicron variant surge on Feb. 15, allowing vaccinated individuals to go maskless in most settings, with public transportation, schools, airports and medical care centers being the exception. All unvaccinated people are still asked to remain masked while indoors to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Los Angeles County was more apprehensive in allowing a relaxation in their own mandate, as according to the CDC, they are one of the few counties remaining in the "high" category for COVID presence in the area. Regardless, the County announced Friday that the indoor mask requirement would change to allow vaccinated individuals to remove their facial coverings - should the place of business check proof of vaccination upon entry. They also removed their mask requirement for outdoor events and mega-events on Feb. 16.
Both Pasadena and Long Beach will follow more closely with the state's guidelines in allowing individuals to self-attest their vaccination status to remove their masks indoors, without any formal verification process.
Businesses under previously mentioned mandates still have the right to require all patrons to wear masks, or operate similarly to Los Angeles County's mandate and check the status of patrons, and all still call for unvaccinated individuals to continue wearing masks indoors, unless in the act of eating or drinking.
Many residents were beyond ecstatic for the facial freedom and the step towards a return to normalcy, after more than two years of mask mandates.
Business owners were among those most excited, as it means a potential increase in clientele.
"You're free to choose if you want to wear your mask," said Elijah Cabacunjn, an employee at Beer and Claw restaurant in Pasadena. "Us workers have to wear masks, for our protection."
He said that they aren't planning on checking anyone's vaccination status as the rules lighten up.
"We still want to retain business, and if you turn people away that's not good," he continued.
"It's really exciting. It kind of feels like we're getting back to normal, like 2019-normal," said Collin Mitzenmacher, the owner of Water's Edge Winery in Long Beach. "We're just really excited to get our community back in here and seeing everybody's smiling faces."
However, some others were a little more cautious with how quickly COVID has turned around in the past.
Dana Cherry, a customer at Water's Edge Winery was on the more apprehensive side, despite being excited that she could freely remove her mask indoors.
"They can't guarantee that everyone's vaccinated or doing what they should be doing," she said. "Personally, I'm still wearing a mask when I'm out in public."
Others local residents like Julio Torres are confident that the steadily dwindling numbers being reported nationwide, plus the increased amount of vaccinated individuals, is enough to feel comfortable enjoying time out without a mask.
"I feel fine. I think if we look at the data that we have of the Omicron variant significantly decreasing and so forth, I think all the signs are there for the mandate to be lifted," Torres said.
On Saturday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported a continued decline in COVID-19 numbers countywide.