Rise in COVID cases has one CA leader recommending masks

In California, a rise in COVID-19 cases and high levels of coronavirus in wastewater

has at least one official recommending masking indoors. The State Department of Health now tracks diseases through wastewater

and it's been very effective since the pandemic. It's really the best way to see how active the virus is in a given community

Wastewater actually looks directly at the amount of virus that's being excreted, literally from our bodies into the wastewater across the community. The CDC shows California

is one of 21 states with high or very high levels of coronavirus in wastewater. They also show the

number of COVID cases has risen and the epidemic trend is, quote, likely growing. Despite that

hospital admissions and deaths remain low. We need to see this in context. In 2020

just in the community that I was serving as a health officer, you know, we were seeing

dozens of deaths every month. We are nowhere near that right now

In Yolo County, health officials recommend people take extra precautions, including wearing masks indoors County health officer Dr Amy Sisson said quote based on current wastewater levels of the virus that causes COVID I recommend that everybody in West Sacramento wear a mask when they are around others in indoor public spaces

I think it's reasonable as a recommendation, but I, again, I think it's important to take this in context

The masks, just as a tool, have been so politicized that we want to make sure that we're not overcalling it or undercalling it

And the fact is that as a tool, a mask is an effective way of preventing infection, period

According to Willis, the best way to fight the coronavirus is vaccination

High vaccination rates translates to lower mortality at the community level. And for an individual, it's the same

If you're vaccinated, you're much less likely to end up in a hospital. And that's just been proven over and over again

That is not a political statement. That is just a scientific reality

Willis said the latest COVID-19 vaccine is effective and now available throughout California

For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan. If you want more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com