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California to extend indoor mask mandate until mid-February

LOS ANGELES (AP) – California’s indoor mask mandate was extended into mid-February to help prevent the astonishing spike in coronavirus cases from overwhelming hospitals but the state’s health director said on Wednesday additional restrictions are not being considered.

The fast-spreading omicron variant of COVID-19 is sidelining exposed or infected health care workers, leading to hospital staffing shortages that could become a bigger problem.
“We are and continue to be concerned about our hospitals,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Dr Mark Ghaly. “Some facilities are going to be strapped.”

California’s confirmed cases have shot up nearly 500 per cent in the last two weeks and hospitalizations have doubled since Christmas to more than 8,000. State models forecast hospitalizations could top 20,000 by early next month, a level nearly as high as last January, when California experienced its deadliest surge.

California had the lowest per-capita case rate in the United States (US) in September, but like the rest of the country it’s now experiencing a dramatic rise from the new variant. It now ranks 29th in new cases per capita over the past two weeks.

Public Health officials across the state advised residents to avoid visiting emergency rooms for COVID-19 tests or treatment that could be handled by a family doctor, telemedicine or at urgent care clinics. California had the lowest per-capita case rate in the US in September, but like the rest of the country it’s now experiencing a dramatic rise from the new variant.

In Fresno County, more than 300 workers at area hospitals were out recovering from COVID-19 or isolating because of exposure to the virus, said Dan Lynch, the county’s emergency medical services director. Ambulance personnel will likely be asked to assess patients and only transport people with true emergencies to ER departments.

Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer, said staff are battle hardened and accustomed to stretching resources.

“But this surge threatens even that very fragile balance that’s being struck at our hospitals,” he said.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department is driving patients to hospitals in fire trucks rather than ambulances because 450 firefighters are absent after testing positive, acting Assistant Chief Brian Bennett told the Carson City Council on Tuesday, according the Los Angeles Daily News.

People line up at a COVID-19 testing centre in San Fernando. PHOTO: AP
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