Los Angeles officials ‘strongly recommend’ masking as COVID cases up

Health officials in Los Angeles are "strongly" recommending that residents mask up amid reported rising case rates in COVID-19 ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a Friday release that "masking in all indoor public spaces is now highly recommended" as COVID case rates rise to "100 new cases per 100,000 individuals." 

"The recommendation covers indoor spaces at schools, retail establishments, entertainment venues, public transit, correctional and detention facilities, and at homeless and emergency shelters," the department said. 

"We can each make a difference now by protecting ourselves and those around us," Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said in the statement. 

The department argued that over the course of the pandemic there has been "mounting evidence that wearing a mask is an effective way to limit the spread of respiratory viruses."