Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yolo and Solano counties placed in 'high' level of covid-19 transmission

Posted: Jun 3, 2022 / 12:19 PM PDT

Updated: Jun 7, 2022 / 04:16 PM PDT

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — Federal health officials moved several counties in California, including Sacramento County, into the “high” community level of COVID-19.

Residents of Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yolo and Solano counties are all being recommended to wear masks indoors, as those counties were placed in the “high” transmission category by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week.

The CDC bases its “high” community level on multiple factors including case rates and hospitalizations.

When counties get into the “high” category, CDC guidance says to wear a mask indoors and on public transportation, regardless of vaccination status.

Will Sacramento County require masks?

It’s unknown if Sacramento County or surrounding counties will implement mask mandates, but the Sacramento City Unified School District announced Thursday that it will require face masks indoors starting Monday.

Previously, the district lifted its mask mandate when students returned from spring break on April 18. The lift in the mandate came after Sacramento County experienced weeks of low COVID-19 transmission rates.

“The case rate is now about eight times higher than it was when the district lifted the masking mandate in mid-April and hospitalizations have increased to 12.1 per 100,000 people,” the district said in a press release Thursday.

COVID-19 transmission rates in Sacramento County

According to the Sacramento County Public Health COVID-19 dashboard, the county has a 36.1 case rate per 100,000 people and 150 hospitalizations, as of May 28. The case rate is up from 32.4 from the week prior and hospitalizations rose from 138 the previous week.