One month after statewide mask mandate, California's daily COVID case average has increased by 162%

One month after California Gov. Gavin Newsom unilaterally ordered state residents to wear masks in most public settings, the average daily number of coronavirus cases in the state has increased by over 160%. 

Newsom's June 18 order "mandate[d] that face coverings be worn state-wide" while in "any indoor public space," while on public transit, during virtually every form of work in which the public might be involved in some way, while walking through "hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities," while in "any room or enclosed area where other people (except for members of the person’s own household or residence) are present when unable to physically distance," and in outdoor settings where six feet of distance between individuals is not possible.

Every state resident older than two years old is bound by the mandate; a small number of exceptions exempt individuals due to medical conditions and other limited circumstances. 

In spite of those strict directives, cases have continued to rise in the state, continuing an upward trend that was already in full swing when the mask mandate went into effect.