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Yolo County health officer urges masks, vaccination amid California COVID surge
California state officials sound alarm as positivity rates double, hospitalizations rise, and wastewater data shows “high” virus levels.
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California is experiencing a late-summer surge in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and positive test rates, prompting new warnings from public health officials. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that infections were ‘growing’ or ‘likely growing’ in 30 states, including California, where wastewater surveillance indicates ‘high’ levels of the virus.
Another Newsweek report quoted Dr Aimee Sisson, health officer for Yolo County, describing the situation as a ‘summer COVID wave’ and advising residents in West Sacramento to wear masks indoors due to high concentrations of the virus in sewage.
Positivity rates climb sharply
Test positivity rates across California have more than doubled in a month. For the week ending August 23, 12.07 percent of tests returned positive results, compared with 6.03 percent in late July, according to the LA Times report. The report further stated that in LA County, the positivity rate jumped from 8.11 percent to 13.44 percent. Orange County, meanwhile, recorded an even steeper rise from 9.4 per cent to 18.1 per cent. Meanwhile, San Francisco saw rates increase from 7.1 percent to 8.7 percent.
Dr Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, was quoted in the report confirming an increase in outpatient cases. She said there was “definitely” an uptick in COVID cases, and inpatient cases were still “few and far between”. “Wastewater levels, however, are still rising in Los Angeles, so we have not reached the top of this current wave,” Hudson warned.
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Hospitalisations rising, but still low
Hospital admissions remain classified as ‘low’ across California, but numbers are climbing. For the week ending August 23, there were 3.62 admissions for every 100,000 residents, nearly double the rate a month earlier. Emergency room visits for COVID-like illness are also on the rise in Los Angeles, Orange, and Santa Clara counties.
Orange County health officials Dr Christopher Zimmerman and Dr Regina Chinsio-Kwong cautioned that ‘the current percentage of COVID-19 positivity is higher than at any point last winter’, though it remains unclear how severe this summer’s surge will become.
Calls for masking and vaccination
Yolo County officials recommend that everyone older than two years wear masks indoors when the sewage levels reach “high.” For “medium” levels, masks are recommended for those above 65, anybody with a weak immune system, or considered at risk of developing severe illness, the Newsweek report stated.
Dr Sisson was quoted in the report recommending that the public wear a high-quality mask like N95, KN95, or KF94, which fits well. California’s late-summer wave dovetails with new national vaccination guidelines. These updated 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be made available within days at all leading pharmacies. Regardless, the new Trump administration regulations require that individuals under 65 without any underlying conditions have to consult with a health care provider before receiving the vaccine, with critics warning that it could hamper access, the LA Times report stated.
Dr. Jerome Adams, former US surgeon general, spoke out against the policy, calling it "a real access barrier," as Dr Sisson reiterated: "Vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to prevent severe disease and death from COVID-19."
FAQs
Q1. Why are COVID-19 cases rising in California now?
Officials attribute the rise to increased social gatherings over the summer, the return of students to school, and holiday travel.
Q2. Should Californians start wearing masks again?
Yes, health officers in counties like Yolo recommend indoor masking, especially in areas with high virus levels in wastewater.
Q3. How severe is the current wave compared to past years?
Hospitalisations are still lower than last summer’s peak, but positivity rates are higher than last winter's.
Q4. When will the updated COVID vaccine be available?
The 2025–26 vaccine will be available at major pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens in early September.
