After health officer quits, Orange County to lift mask requirement and reopen gyms, schools and bars

[quaint]

KTLA

Days after his predecessor abruptly quit, Orange County’s new interim health officer said Thursday that he will lift a requirement for residents to wear face coverings in public and instead recommend they do so to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

The move comes three days after Dr. Nichole Quick resigned as the county’s health officer following threats she received at a meeting and on social media over her order for people to wear masks in public when near others. Irate residents blasted the requirement, and the sheriff for the county of 3.2 million people said he wouldn’t enforce it.

Face coverings are required when residents are near others in public in neighboring Los Angeles and San Diego counties. In Riverside County, they are recommended, not required.

Jim Peterson, executive director of the Orange County Medical Association, said he’s concerned by the change and believes using a mask is a small sacrifice to protect grocery and other essential workers and those with health conditions.

“We think it’s just good public health policy right now,” he said. “We think requiring is better. We highly recommend people wear masks because it’s the only barrier we really have right now.”

Some people got upset, threatened the previous doctor, then the new doc set the county up for death. Goodie.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Just out of curiosity-- how do they feel about seatbelt laws?

[SoCalNative]

5. That's different

they lose federal highway funding if they overturn those

[TreasonousBastard]

7. So, it's not "rights". Just cash.

[quaint]

6. Every year, observed seatbelt usage goes down.

Enforcement only when another reason for traffic stop. PDF here

[TreasonousBastard]

10. Well, yeah. That's been going on for years, especially since cops were using...

seatbelt laws as just an excuse for stops.

More to this point, though, have they forgotten about how such rules, and traffic laws in general, are such impediments to our liberties?

All of a sudden I'm reminded of those towns in NJ where cops and inspectors went around with rulers to measure your grass's height. Yeah, there were local laws about the height of your lawn.

[riversedge]

2. And they will use #Trump to back their selfishness up.

[quaint]

8. There aren't as many as before but they're louder and more unbalanced.

IMHO

[CurtEastPoint]

3. Isn't Orange Co. a Repube wet dream?

[quaint]

4. Nope. Sex isn't everything.

Money is. Repuglycans are just richer and louder.

Current Registration Counts Total active voters 1,656,219
Total inactive voters (what are inactive voters?) 335,547
Change from yesterday -1
Change (%) -0.07
Secretary of State report of registration (02/18/2020) 1,615,482
Statewide 17,660,486
Military and overseas 6,914
Party Counts
DEM 607,281
REP 567,821
AI 45,612
GRN 4,622
LIB 16,040
P-F 5,505
MISC 7,047
NPP 402,291

edit to add: NPP, probably since no one knows, is split between progressives and reactionaries.
edit to add link

[stopbush]

9. Nope. In fact, since the 2018 elections, there are NO Rs representing Orange Co in Congress.

None.

Katie Porter is my Rep.

[quaint]

12. Gil Cisneros is mine.

He used his half-billion lottery win to get to D.C. A real DINO. He sent my husband (passed 8/9/16) a mailer from "With Honor Action" mailed from Des Moines. Even his franked mail is pro-law enforcement and military. That's okay, except he forgets the rest of us.

[CurtEastPoint]

13. This is good news but I'm right in that oh, 30 years ago?? Lou Sheldon et al?

[louis-t]

11. If one more person tells me "I can't breathe with a mask on"

They will get both barrels. The new thing is, employees that are required to wear a mask but the mask stays on their chin all day. I saw an employee at Kroger doing this and I said very sweetly "Darlin', that mask is doing you no good on your chin." I've had people tell me they "can't breathe" with a mask on. Even though I sympathize with people who have breathing issues, I want to tell them "Just think how hard it will be to breathe for the person you spread the virus to."