The California Department of Public Health released new guidance on the use of face masks that will go into effect June 15. Plumas County Public Health Director Dana Loomis shared some of the new information with the Board of Supervisors on June 8, when he presented his coronavirus update. Fully vaccinated people in California will be able to stop wearing masks beginning June 15 in most settings.
This is the states latest guidance:
- On public transit (examples: airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and ride-shares) and in transportation hubs (examples: airport, bus terminal, marina, train station, seaport or other port, subway station, or any other area that provides transportation)
- Indoors in K-12 schools, childcare, and other youth settings. (Note: This may change as updated K-12 schools guidance is forthcoming, pending updates for K-12 operational guidance from the CDC.)
- Health care settings and long term care settings
- State and local correctional facilities
- Homeless shelters, emergency shelters, and cooling centers
Guidance for Businesses, Venue Operators, or Hosts
- Provide information to all patrons, guests, and attendees regarding vaccination requirements and allow vaccinated individuals to self-attest that they are in compliance prior to entry.
- Implement vaccine verification to determine whether individuals are required to wear a mask.
- Require all patrons to wear masks.
Exemptions to masks requirements
The following individuals are exempt from wearing masks at all times:
- Persons younger than 2 years old. Very young children must not wear a mask because of the risk of suffocation.
- Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a mask. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a mask could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a mask without assistance.
- Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
- Persons for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.