Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva is refusing to enforce a new mask mandate imposed by The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to combat the spread of COVID-19,
The new mandate requires people to wear masks indoors, even if they are already vaccinated against the disease.
But, Villanueva is refusing to enforce the new mandate because he says it is “not backed by science.”
“Forcing the vaccinated and those who already contracted COVID-19 to wear masks indoors is not backed by science and contradicts the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines,” Villanueva said in an official statement.
“The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) has authority to enforce the order, but the underfunded/defunded Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will not expend our limited resources and instead ask for voluntary compliance,” Villanueva continued. “We encourage the DPH to work collaboratively with the Board of Supervisors and law enforcement to establish mandates that are both achievable and supported by science.”
The new mandate comes after the county recorded six straight days of more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases.
