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LA County recommends indoor masking after increase in COVID cases Los Angeles County said it is "strongly recommending" residents wear masks indoors due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. ABC News ABC News

On Thursday, the largest county in the United States said it is "strongly recommending" people wear face coverings in indoor public settings but stopped short of requiring them.

California: Docs may be disciplined for spreading COVID lies SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Doctors who spread coronavirus lies could be disciplined for unprofessional conduct in California under a law signed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The bill, AB2098 , introduced by Democratic Assembly Member Evan Low, declares that a physician or surgeon commits professional misconduct if they disseminate “misinformation or disinformation" about the nature and risks of COVID-19, its prevention and treatment and the development, safety and effectiveness of vaccines. AP NEWS

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In a sign of how the new coronavirus wave continues to spread across California, two-thirds of the state’s counties are now in the high COVID-19 community level, in which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal masking in indoor public spaces.

This comes as health officials are warning of concerning weeks ahead as two new ultra-contagious Omicron subvariants — BA.4 and BA.5 — spread. Experts believe the subvariants, which are not only especially contagious but also capable of reinfecting those who have survived earlier Omicron infection, are a major factor behind the continued persistence of coronavirus transmission across California.

So far, Los Angeles County health officials have not imposed new masking rules. But they have warned that might be necessary, perhaps later in July, if new coronavirus-positive hospitalizations continue to rise. Though experts are concerned, there is still uncertainty about how serious a summer wave will get.

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