Local officials across U.S. are starting to reimpose Covid mask rules as delta variant takes hold

Local officials across U.S. are starting to reimpose Covid mask rules as delta variant takes hold

From Los Angeles to Massachusetts, local officials across the country are pleading with Americans to once again wear masks inside as the delta variant rips through the U.S. Several counties across California and Nevada are now advising all residents to wear masks in public indoor settings — whether they are vaccinated or not. Local leaders in at least three more states have , issued facial covering recommendations or threatened the return of strict public health limits for all residents — in defiance of federal health guidelines that say vaccinated people don't have to follow those protocols in most settings. "A rise in case counts was not unexpected as the community began to fully reopen," Southern Nevada Health District spokeswoman Jennifer Sizemore told CNBC in an email. Home to Las Vegas, Nevada's Clark County tightened its mask recommendation last week after Covid-19 cases and deaths surged by 50% over the previous week. In total, 4,599 new infections were reported last week along with 33 coronavirus-related deaths, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read CNBC's latest global coverage of the Covid pandemic: After months of falling cases, Covid infections are on the rise again