The Golden State’s Endless “Emergency”

Mask Mandates Return in California — Because Apparently, the Bureaucrats Missed 2020

When you hear the phrase “mask mandates return in California,” you could be forgiven for checking the calendar to make sure we didn’t time-travel back to 2020.

But no — it’s 2025, and Sonoma County, tucked in the heart of California’s wine country, has decided it’s time to bring back face coverings in certain healthcare facilities.

Dr. Karen Smith, the county’s interim health officer, announced that from November 1 through March 31, 2026, anyone entering specific medical settings — including nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, infusion clinics, and dialysis centers — must mask up.

She says it’s about protecting “vulnerable populations” and preventing staff shortages. The rest of America might call it bureaucracy dressed as compassion — or déjà vu with a side of government control.

Only in California could a temporary health measure morph into an annual tradition. Sonoma County’s order will renew automatically each year unless revoked, which in government language means “forever.”

Officials can also expand it anytime they deem the “risk is high,” a standard as flexible as a well-worn cloth mask. And just like the last time, it’s packaged with familiar slogans like “for your safety” and “to protect others.” We’ve heard that before — right before schools closed, businesses collapsed, and trust in public health evaporated.

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