As respiratory virus season looms, Sonoma County's Health Officer, Dr. Karen Smith, has issued an order requiring healthcare personnel to wear masks when in patient care areas. This order is set to be in effect from November 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024, and comes in light of increasing risks from respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 and the flu. According to the announcement from the City of Sonoma, these higher rates of severe respiratory infections are common annually between late fall and spring.
Dr. Smith explained that vulnerable populations such as young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with chronic health conditions are at a greater risk for respiratory virus-related hospitalizations and death. Furthermore, workers in direct care, health care, and congregate facilities are not only at risk themselves but can also transmit the virus to their clients, patients, and coworkers.
The order, named Order of the Health Officer of the County of Sonoma No. RVP23-01, applies to staff at various healthcare facilities, including hospitals, clinics, surgery centers, infusion centers, dialysis centers, skilled nursing facilities, and certain long-term care facilities. This mandatory mask requirement is designed to alleviate the pressure on healthcare systems and prevent the further spread of infections among critical patients and healthcare workers alike.
In addition to the mask mandate, Dr. Smith has issued guidance for the general public, recommending that everyone aged six months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Influenza vaccinations are also strongly recommended for individuals in the same age group. These vaccinations remain the best protection against respiratory virus infections. The health officer has advised both vaccinated and unvaccinated people to wear masks in public indoor spaces when COVID or influenza risk in Sonoma County is high.
The issuance of the health order takes into account the ongoing transmission of COVID-19 and the seasonal recurrence of influenza and other respiratory infections. With the influenza season approaching and a possible late fall/winter surge of COVID-19, health systems might face an increased risk of being overwhelmed by patients with critical respiratory illnesses. Furthermore, respiratory virus-related illness among healthcare workers can lead to absenteeism, adding further strain on limited healthcare resources.
Though the widespread availability of COVID-19 testing and treatment, high community vaccination rates in the county, and a reduced death rate observed in recent COVID-19 surges have helped diminish the need for year-round mandatory orders related to masking in high-risk settings, the risk to vulnerable patients of COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory viruses in health care settings remains significant. As a result, the order stresses the continued importance of using face masks in patient care areas during the height of seasonal respiratory virus exposure.
Violations or failure to comply with this order may result in a misdemeanor and could be punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both. The order highlights that the most restrictive provision between this order and any other state or federal public health orders (i.e., the more protective of public health) will be controlled in case of conflicts.
