This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 continue in Orange County with supervisors moving to require essential workers to wear face masks, and health officials launching a new network to expand testing for coronavirus.

The use of face masks had only been a recommendation by county health officials, although some O.C. cities have been requiring people to cover their faces in some public spaces. But on Tuesday the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to require essential employees who have contact with the public in any grocery, pharmacy, drug/convenience store, restaurant, gas station, food preparation or retail store to wear a cloth face covering.

The county’s new face mask rule goes into effect on Friday.

There was some push back on the new rule, with supervisors Don Wagner and Michelle Steel voting against it. Meanwhile Supervisor Andrew Do, who proposed the rule a few weeks ago, spoke Tuesday in its favor.

“We see it practically being done everywhere with the barriers,” Do said. “This is not anything that is overly burdensome,” Do said. “I think it’s the minimum that we should have.”

On Tuesday, 29 new cases of coronavirus were reported by health officials bringing the county’s total number of cases to 1,691. As a way to expand testing for those who have not been able to get a test through their health care provider, the Orange County Health Care Agency said Tuesday that any resident experiencing symptoms of coronavirus can now get tested through the O.C. COVID-19 Testing Network at the following locations:

  • AltaMed Medical Group, Anaheim
  • AltaMed Medical Group, Santa Ana/Bristol
  • Nhan Hoa Comprehensive Health Care Clinic, Garden Grove
  • UCI Health, multiple locations

Dr. Nichole Quick, county health officer, said work is being done to add more testing locations.

“We have partnered with an initial set of community health centers who are performing FDA-approved PCR testing, the most reliable testing available to detect current infection,” Quick said.

For more information on scheduling an appointment and test site locations, visit ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus and click on COVID-19 Testing and Screening, or call the HCA’s Health Referral Line at 800-564-8448.