A COVID-19 outbreak at the state Capitol has caused legislative leaders to re-impose a mandate to wear masks.
The mandate, which is effective immediately, dictates all lawmakers and staff must wear masks inside the Capitol regardless of vaccination status. Additionally, masks must be worn at the legislative office building and at district offices and unvaccinated legislators and employees will get tested for the virus twice a week, according to The Sacramento Bee.
The mandate was re-imposed after nine new infections were identified.
The Bee reported that seven of the infected people worked in the same Assembly office, which was not identified.
Four of the nine people infected had been vaccinated.
More than 80% of the employees in the Senate and the Assembly are fully vaccinated, but Peter Chin-Hong, professor of medicine at UC San Francisco, said risk of infection needs to be lessened.
“Since you are in a crowded area indoors, even if you are vaccinated, it makes sense to wear a mask right now,” he said.
Chin-Hong said those likely to contract COVID after being vaccinated are less likely to suffer the most serious symptoms or be hospitalized.
“You’re just going to possibly get infected and that’s going to be annoying to a lot of people because that leads to a lot of anxiety and contact tracing,” he said. “Take yourself out of that equation. If in doubt, wear a mask.”