Mask mandate returning to churches in LA County

LA County’s reinstated mask mandate will affect Massgoers this Sunday, as the Department of Public Health is requiring everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to mask up indoors beginning at 11:59 p.m. on July 17. 

The new order comes as the county has reported higher numbers of COVID-19 cases, many related to the newer Delta strain. On July 15, the county reported over 1,500 new cases, the highest in recent weeks. 

California dropped its mask mandate for vaccinated individuals on June 15, and lifted almost all restrictions on businesses and public places. That same weekend, Archbishop José H. Gomez lifted the dispensation from attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, and churches in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles reopened at full capacity. 

While churches in LA County will be required to have parishioners wear masks on Sunday, churches in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are not included in the new regulations. The mandate does not include any capacity limitations or requirements.

For more information, visit lacatholics.org/emergency.