King County public health official recommends mask usage (again) for indoor public spaces
Just weeks after King County's mask mandate lifted and the state's economy fully reopened, top public health officials are asking residents to wear masks indoors again.
King County Public Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin confirmed Friday that the county now recommends that all residents five years of age and older — regardless of vaccination status — wear face coverings in indoor public settings. Approximately 700,000 people remain unvaccinated in King County and are still at risk according to Duchin.
"Higher levels of Delta virus transmission increase the risk for all of us, but we know that wearing a high-quality, well-fitting face mask or respirator is a simple and effective way to reduce risk for individuals and for our community," Duchin said. "Universal masking in indoor, public spaces provides a more reliable way to ensure everyone is safer for now as we monitor the current increasing disease trends."
Duchin cited a new study from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) which found that the state could see 540 to 880 fewer COVID-19 deaths by November if universal mask coverage were attained by next week.
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https://www.seattlepi.com/coronavirus/article/king-co-again-recommends-wearing-face-mask-indoors-16335927.php