Los Angeles County lifts outdoor mask rules

Los Angeles County on Wednesday eased its outdoor mask mandate, allowing people to go without masks at more places and events such as schools and sporting events.

“With significant improvement in community transmission rates, we’re looking forward to realigning our safety measures while continuing as always to ensure protections for our workers and our most vulnerable residents,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told the board of supervisors on Tuesday.

Under the revised guidelines, residents will be allowed to go without masks outdoors at K-12 schools and child care facilities, as well as at outdoor “mega-events” at venues like the Hollywood Bowl and SoFi Stadium, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The newspaper noted that county health officials had previously that the outdoor mask mandate would be dropped when COVID-19 hospitalizations fells below 2,500 for seven consecutive days. This milestone was passed last Wednesday.

Los Angeles County residents are still required to wear masks in indoor public settings.

The county’s revised outdoor mask guidance went into effect on the same day that the California state government’s ended its universal indoor mask mandate, moving to only require masks in certain indoor settings such as in hospitals and in schools. Unvaccinated individuals are still expected to wear masks when indoors.

The state’s rule change still allows local health authorities to issue tougher mandates that go beyond what the state is recommending.