[Lauren Taylor]

MASK MANDATES ARE RETURNING — AT LEAST FOR SOME CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS.  

FIVE BAY-AREA COUNTIES ARE REQUIRING EMPLOYEES AT HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE FACILITIES TO MASK UP TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID, THE FLU AND OTHER SEASONAL VIRUSES. 

TWO OF THESE COUNTIES – SANTA CLARA AND SAN MATEO ARE ALSO REQUIRING VISITORS TO WEAR MASKS. 

THE MANDATES START NOVEMBER FIRST AND ARE EXPECTED TO RUN THROUGH MARCH OR APRIL. 

IN SOME PLACES, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A MISDEMEANOR TO NOT WEAR A MASK DURING THE MANDATES.

MASK MANDATES HAVE BEEN A POINT OF DEBATE SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BEGAN IN 20-20. 

NOW WITH MANDATES RETURNING … CRITICS ARE WEIGHING IN. 

CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE KEVIN KILEY SAID … 

“MASK MANDATES ARE MAKING A COMEBACK TO CALIFORNIA. WE MUST ELECT THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO ASSURE HISTORY DOESN’T REPEAT ITSELF.”

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN OUTSPOKEN ON PREVENTING MASK MANDATES FROM COMING BACK. 

EARLIER THIS YEAR, HE SAID HE WOULD CUT FUNDING TO ANY SCHOOL THAT HAS A VACCINE OR MASK MANDATE. 

HIS RUNNING MATE J-D VANCE … FILED THE ‘FREEDOM TO BREATHE’ ACT IN 20-23 TO STOP THE PRESIDENT OR ANY FEDERAL OFFICIAL FROM ISSUING A MASK REQUIREMENT ON DOMESTIC AIR TRAVEL, PUBLIC TRANSIT AND SOME SCHOOLS. 

THAT BILL DIDN’T PASS CONGRESS. 

DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE KAMALA HARRIS HAS NOT COMMENTED RECENTLY ON MASK MANDATES. 

THE RECENT MASK ORDERS ARE SIMILAR TO THE ORDERS ISSUED IN MULTIPLE STATES DURING LAST YEAR’S COLD AND FLU SEASON.

THOSE MANDATES WERE LIFTED ONCE THE SEASON ENDED. 

ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION WEARING A MASK CAN HELP LOWER THE RISK OF RESPIRATORY VIRUS TRANSMISSION … AND EMPHASIZE DIFFERENT MASKS GIVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PROTECTION. 

FOR SAN I’M … LAUREN TAYLOR.

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