SACRAMENTO, California — Sacramento County has issued a new health order, requiring masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
The new mask mandate comes as the delta variant becomes more prominent and Sacramento County's daily case rate of COVID-19 rose drastically from 5.2 to 22.6 in the span of a month.
The mask mandate goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 30. The requirement will last "until rescinded or amended in writing by the Health Officer."
"While cases continue to surge and until vaccination rates have increased in Sacramento County, all residents must wear masks in all indoor public settings, venues, gatherings, and workplaces, such as, but not limited to: offices, retail stores, restaurants and bars, theaters, family entertainment centers, conference centers, and State and local government offices serving the public," Sacramento County Public Health said in a press release.
Right now, Sacramento County has 149 confirmed cases, but it's unknown how many of those are the delta variant.
“The continued increase in cases is concerning - universal indoor use of masks, is the least disruptive and most immediately impactful measure to take to slow the rate of transmission,” Sacramento County Public Health Officer Olivia Kasirye said in the press release.
She also said the COVID-19 vaccine is still the best protection against the virus and its variants and encourages everyone who is able get vaccinated. The new mask mandate is in line with the recently updated CDC and California Department of Public Health guidance.
For business owners in Sacramento County, the masking news is garnering a mixed reaction. At Pouf Hair Studio on J street in Sacramento, Celena Valido is worried about the new mandate.
"Wow, here we go again - second, third time around," Valido said.
Valido said she's worried that the mask mandate means the worst is yet to come; she's worried about capacity limits or even a state shutdown, which could put her out of business.
"I have great support behind my business so I keep it small. I think I would be okay, but I’m scared," Valido said.
Over at One Up Retro Video Games, owner Travis Boune said the mask mandate won’t change much for his business. Boune already has displays reminding guests to wear a mask and a hand sanitization station at the door. But he will rethink having large crowds at the store.
"We do have events that will be starting, but now with the new mandate, we are probably going to eliminate the number coming in ," Boune said.
WATCH MORE FROM ABC10: Mask requirements increasing locally and nationally | Coronavirus Update
The federal government is expected to announce a vaccine mandate for all federal employees later today.