SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — As seven Bay Area counties are recommending those fully vaccinated against the coronavirus to wear masks again, many are wondering if the people living in Northern California will have to mask up again.
Sacramento and Yolo counties recently suggested fully vaccinated residents to mask up while indoors while those in Los Angeles County will again require masks, even those who are vaccinated.
According to the CDC, the Delta variant is responsible for nearly 60% of all new coronavirus infections in the U.S.
Dr. Kawana Carter is the medical director of the Del Paso Heights Vaccine Clinic and says since the state reopened, vaccine rates have not increased at her clinic and is using incentives like free ice cream, a plant potting station, and gift cards to get more people vaccinated.
“We need anti-vaxxers, hesitant, everyone we need absolutely everyone to be vaccinated in order to keep people from dying and get our lives back,” Carter said.
Dr. Anitia Chandrasena with Dignity Health says if the recent surge in COVID cases flattens out in Sacramento County and people follow masking recommendations then it may avoid becoming a mandate like it is in Los Angeles County.
“If we don’t wear masks and continue to not get vaccinated we will be in a cycle of being afraid of variants coming back and being stronger and never be able to put this pandemic behind us,” Chandrasena said.
Wendy Chavarria said she hates that she waited so long to get vaccinated. Chavarria said that misinformation circulating online made her doubt the need for the vaccine.
“People would say all these things on social media like oh there’s a chip in your arm and I thought what if there is?” Chavarria said.
Going off to college in the fall to Sacramento State was the big push for Wendy to finally say yes to the shot but she says she also talked to her mom about the efficacy of the vaccine.
“She got vaccinated, her boyfriend, and my sister, and I was the only one who needed to get vaccinated,” Chavarria said.
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