Indoor Mask Mandate Reinstated for Orange County

Orange County will reinstate its indoor countywide mask mandate effective 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 11. The mandate will apply to anyone 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status.

The mandate does not apply to the following individuals:

• Anyone with a diagnosed medical or behavioral condition or disability, including difficulty breathing
• Children under two (2) years of age
• Children under five (5) years of age and their parent, guardian, or responsible person has been unable to place and maintain a Face Covering safely on the child’s face
• Anyone who is actively eating or drinking
• Anyone who is seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing impaired in a way that requires the mouth to be visible
• Anyone who is giving a speech or performance for a broadcast or to an audience where they maintain a distance of at least twenty (20) feet from the audience
• Anyone who is working alone in an individual office setting (however, such person(s) shall apply a Face Covering when in common areas such as breakrooms, hallways, restrooms, or other areas where additional persons may be encountered)
• Anyone who has determined the Face Covering is impeding their visibility in the operation of equipment or a vehicle

Even with one of the highest rates of vaccination in the state with 76 percent of the population fully vaccinated, Orange County is still experiencing a surge in new cases, mostly among the unvaccinated.

For the week of June 20-26, Orange County reported nine cases out of 1,596 tests for a positivity rate of 0.6%. For the week of Aug. 1-7, Orange County reported 235 cases out of 4,040 tests for a positivity rate of 5.3%.

A positivity rate above 5% is considered one of the key indicators for increased spread. Recent data from the CDC also shows that vaccinated people can transmit the virus, particularly the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Related Documents

• Orange County amended declaration
• Orange County Health Department’s COVID-19 Vaccine website: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2617/Vaccine
• Orange County Health Department’s Face Covering website: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2435/Face-Coverings
• Orange County Face Coverings Required signs for business, version 1: English/ Spanish
• Orange County Face Coverings Required signs for business, version 2: English/ Spanish