Imperial County prepares for renewed mask mandate

Indoor mask mandate in effect starting Wednesday, December 15 - News 11's Wiley Jawhary reports

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Imperial County says it's getting ready to enforce California's new mask mandate, requiring all people regardless of vaccination status to wear a mask starting tomorrow.

Local health leaders say it's the safest thing to do right now, especially with the holidays coming up. Numbers also went up in the Valley shortly after Thanksgiving.

Dr. Tien Vo with Vo Medical Center says his clinic has seen more positive cases of COVID-19 after November.

"The positivity rate here went up 12% now, that is higher compared to al lot of places in the Valley because we test a lot people,” he said.

According to the California Public Health Department, COVID-19 hospitalizations went up by nearly 15%.

But Some residents remain adamant that the mask mandate is unnecessary. One resident even took to the podium on Tuesday's Imperial County Board of Supervisors meeting.

"They are ineffective against spreading the virus, why aren’t we following that language anymore? You followed it in the beginning why aren’t you following it now,” George Doilez Jr, an Imperial Valley resident said.

Meanwhile hospitals across the Valley are starting  to run low on beds. El Centro Regional Medical Center's Chief Executive Officer, Adolphe Edward says they are working on expanding.

"There are 10 patients in the tents already, we are increasing our ICU bed capacity to be able to accommodate more patients," he said.

Local health experts say they suspect this is only the beginning of a winter spike in COVID cases.