The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has jumped significantly since the Thanksgiving Day holiday, according to Los Angeles County Public Health officials.
Just weeks after the national holiday which brings families together more than perhaps any other, the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 jumped from 794 on Nov. 23 to 1,270 on Dec. 6.
The positivity rate also increased from 9.4% to 13.5%, according to public health officials.
The increase in hospitalizations and positivity rates brings renewed concern about possible mask mandates.
If the trends continue, a new indoor mask mandate could be considered shortly after New Year’s Day, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Ferrer recently suggested it would take a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations before another mask mandate would be considered.
Residents were urged to help slow the spread of the virus by keeping up to date on their vaccines and boosters.
“Given both the increases in hospitalizations and the lack of certainty in the winter trajectory for COVID-19, continuing some common-sense mitigation strategies that we know work to limit transmission and illness, including masking and being up to date on vaccines and boosters, remains a very sensible approach,” Ferrer said.