After three attempts, Monterey County Supervisors have approved a mandatory indoor mask mandate.The mandate passed late Tuesday afternoon by a 3 to 2 vote. It could go into effect by the end of next month. The mandate would require everyone to wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status.The mandate would only be triggered if the county’s COVID-19 transmission rate is considered high or substantial, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.Monterey County’s transmission rate has recently worsened. The CDC updated the county’s spread to high.“Where we had massive people coming down with COVID, and we had to close all of the businesses, and people lost their jobs and their homes and everything else. I don’t want us to go there again and I feel like it’s the right thing to do,” said Supervisor Mary Adams. “I can’t support the motion for reasons previously mentioned. I think this ought to be a health department issue and I’m really concerned about enforcement especially with no opt-out for the cities. I have a serious concern about enforcement I cannot support the motion,” said Supervisor John Phillips. County supervisors will take up a final adoption of the new ordinance next week and it will go into effect 30 days later if passed.If at that time the county is still in high or substantial levels of transmission, everyone in Monterey County will be required to wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status.
SALINAS, Calif. —
After three attempts, Monterey County Supervisors have approved a mandatory indoor mask mandate.
The mandate passed late Tuesday afternoon by a 3 to 2 vote. It could go into effect by the end of next month.
The mandate would require everyone to wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status.
The mandate would only be triggered if the county’s COVID-19 transmission rate is considered high or substantial, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
Monterey County’s transmission rate has recently worsened. The CDC updated the county’s spread to high.
“Where we had massive people coming down with COVID, and we had to close all of the businesses, and people lost their jobs and their homes and everything else. I don’t want us to go there again and I feel like it’s the right thing to do,” said Supervisor Mary Adams.
“I can’t support the motion for reasons previously mentioned. I think this ought to be a health department issue and I’m really concerned about enforcement especially with no opt-out for the cities. I have a serious concern about enforcement I cannot support the motion,” said Supervisor John Phillips.
County supervisors will take up a final adoption of the new ordinance next week and it will go into effect 30 days later if passed.
If at that time the county is still in high or substantial levels of transmission, everyone in Monterey County will be required to wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status.