CoCo Tightens Face Mask Rules As Coronavirus Spreads 'Rapidly'

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Contra Costa County health officials on Saturday tightened rules around the use of facial coverings indoors, citing a "sharp rise" in the percentage of coronavirus tests that are coming back positive.

In the new health order issued Saturday and taking effect at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, the county is temporarily banning indoor gatherings that present an elevated risk of spreading the virus — a category that includes indoor worship services, Contra Costa Health Services said.

The stricter order is being issued as 8.04 percent of COVID-19 tests conducted within the past seven days have come back positive — "a sign that the virus is spreading rapidly in the county and that the community must take immediate steps to prevent our healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed," the department said in a news release.

Officials say they are "especially concerned about the risk of COVID-19 transmission in indoor gatherings, and in gatherings that involve removing face coverings for eating and drinking."

Now, groups from separate households that gather in "social bubbles" must wear facial coverings when together, except when eating. And in outdoor dining settings, staff and customers are now required to wear masks "at all times, except when putting food or drink in the mouth," the department said.

Some outdoor gatherings of any size, including worship services and protests, are still allowed in Contra Costa County as long as physical distancing is followed and facial coverings are used, the county said.

Other signs of the virus's rise in Contra Costa County include the seven-day average number of new cases, which rose from 38 on June 8 to 146 on July 8. The 209 intensive care unit beds in county hospitals are now about half full on a given day, and a continued growth in cases could push past the system's capacity, Health Services said.

The county hopes to ease the stricter order "as soon as possible" based on health system data, Health Services said in a news release.

This is the second change the county has made to its stay-home order this week, following Tuesday's update, which added to the list of places where face masks must be worn.

Full coronavirus coverage: Coronavirus In California: What To Know