But other COVID restrictions apply at California airports, Have questions about the COVID vaccine? Gavin Newsom's administrationbrought back the masking mandatein mid-December as omicron gained momentum and last month extended the requirement through Feb. 15. All Rights Reserved. clinics at congregate care facilities, including skilled nursing "We see February's local COVID-19 situation beginning much better than January," Rogers said. California mask rules are changing but not disappearing. "There is still some work to do," Preston Merchant, a spokesperson for San Mateo County Health, wrote in an email. After Feb. 15, unvaccinated people still will be required to be masked indoors, and everyone vaccinated or not will have to wear masks in higher-risk areas like public transit and nursing homes and other congregate living facilities, officials said. had previously told his board of supervisors, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). There are currently 22 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Napa County and the county dashboard estimates 0% ICU capacity. If you have household or social contact with a vulnerable person*, wearing a mask is recommended when indoors with them. Kids - Unvaccinated individuals. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Timing chart for information on the COVID-19 vaccine series "But not committing to any single metric. Businesses will no longer be required to ensure guests wear masks, but may opt to continue to require guests to wear masks as a condition of service. To lift the mask mandate, a county's health officer must determine that COVID-19 hospitalizations are "low and stable. Contra Costa, Napa and Sonoma are further away with case rates of 67.97, 65.34 and 57.86, respectively. County Health Officer Farnitano had previously said hospitalization numbers will be used to determine when to lift the mandate, and the most recent seven-day average for hospitalizations in the county is 188 patients, down from the peak of 220 on Aug. 23. County Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis has even assigned an earliest possible date for when the mask mandate can be lifted (Nov. 3), but noted that any case or hospitalization uptick will. "If they know that the people that are taking their mask off are vaccinated then I think they're going to feel a whole lot safe," said King. Call Aging & Adult Services Across the county, 82 percent of total residents have been fully vaccinated while almost 90 percent have received at least one vaccine dose and almost 400,000 booster doses have been administered. Government and school administrations still suggest the use of masks despite the lifted mandate. Health care facilities and other high-risk setting operators should develop and implement their own facility-specific plans based on their community, patient population, and other facility considerations incorporating CDPH and CDC recommendations.. All businesses and venue operators are encouraged to improve ventilation and air quality in their facility to prevent airborne respiratory infections and improve indoor air quality. elderly. This includes children under 2 years old and individuals with medical and mental health conditions or a disability that prevents wearing a mask. The state recommends those who travel in or out of California get tested for COVID within three to five days. All rights reserved. It can be unnerving for [those] at higher risk. Heres when youll need one. In recent days, county data shows that daily COVID hospitalizations have dropped to 84 as of Monday, compared to over 100 in recent weeks. Newsom, a Democrat, has come under pressure from Republicans and other critics to ease the mandates. No wonder educators are fed up | Opinion, Simply delicious. The best Thai restaurant in SLO County, according to reader poll, SLO County weather: Scattered rain, thunderstorms and cold temperatures, Vintage motel in downtown Paso Robles set to reopen with a whole new look, Why is company kicking renters out of Central Coast apartments? ", Other county health officers haven't publicly shared at what point hospitalizations will be considered "low and stable.". People can wear a mask based on personal preference, informed by their own personal level of risk. Groom executed the San Mateo County Health Officers decision to match Californias loosened mask protocols. REDWOOD CITY (AP) -- San Mateo County supervisors announced late Thursday that, effective July 26, masks will be required in all county buildings and facilities for both employees and. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. To lift the mask mandate, 80% of a county's total population must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or eight weeks removed from when the COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for children. 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. However, California health officials extended the deadline on Wednesday, Jan. 5, due to the recent surge of the omicron variant, which has resulted in coronavirus cases reaching record highs following the holidays. The county will then end its mask requirement for large outdoor events such as concerts and sporting events and for outdoor spaces at schools and child-care facilities. Eric did his undergrad at Pomona College, where he majored in politics and minored in economics. Dr. Chin-Hong said that the increase in community immunity from the widespread of the Omicron variant, early COVID intervention treatments and the significant decline in cases are among the reasons he agrees with the state's stance that it's time to loosen mask measures. Endemic is really about accepting that it will be present in the environment and we all have to take steps to protect ourselves and our family members and our communities in ways that are appropriate for the situation.". Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. Im not sure that the mask mandate being dropped had much of an impact because the majority of people who come into the theater still wear masks.. Solano County Will lift its indoor. To achieve this, authorities are easing cautionary measures so residents can gradually and safely begin the return to pre-pandemic customs. February 7, 2022 / 11:00 PM / CBS San Francisco SACRAMENTO (CBS / AP) California will end its indoor masking requirement for vaccinated people next week but masks still are the rule for. "We are anticipating that the counties will have two different rules," King said. retired. And while the county plans to align with the state's decision to lift its indoor mask mandate for vaccinated residents, Rogers said businesses and organizations will be able to make their own decisions when it comes to masking. pharmacies. Such persons should consider taking extra precautions. Alameda County is currently listed as a place of "high" transmission, as is every other Bay Area county with the exception of Marin, which is listed as "moderate. SACRAMENTO (CBS / AP) California will end its indoor masking requirement for vaccinated people next week but masks still are the rule for schoolchildren, state health officials announced Monday amid rapidly falling coronavirus cases. 1. conclude on June 30. [However, the customers] who arent wearing a mask anymore are happier. "Three consecutive weeks in yellow will mean weve maintained fewer than 18 new cases per day on average," Willis explained. County Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis has even assigned an earliest possible date for when the mask mandate can be lifted (Nov. 3), but noted that any case or hospitalization uptick will set that back. Read more here. SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Governor Gavin Newsom is set to let California's statewide mask mandate expire on February 15, but each county has or can implement a mask mandate of their own.. Wear a mask around others if you have respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, runny nose, and/or sore throat). CDPH Masking Guidance Frequently Asked Questions. MS 0500 SAN MATEO, Calif. (KGO) -- Even though 89% of San Mateo County's population . Business owners, including Toni King, are holding their breath on what counties will decide on Feb. 15. Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email [email protected]. In early August, seven Bay Area counties San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Marin and Sonoma simultaneously issued an indoor mask mandate for all. The legislation was deemed safe, as 93% of the County population is vaccinated and the County is maintaining a low COVID-19 case rate. As of June 15, 2021, San Mateo County fully aligns with all state COVID-19 health and safety guidance and has no plans to impose separate guidance. Initially, it was set to end on Jan. 15. The latest estimate for when approval might happen is "early to midwinter," NBC News reported, meaning Santa Clara County could be looking at indoor mask mandates for the rest of 2021. In December, the health department shared additional details about exemptions which include: Local governments may have their own exemptions to the mask rule as well. When asked whether the county still plans to keep the mask mandate in place until the FDA approves vaccines for younger children, the county's health department said in a statement, "We continue to monitor and maintain situational awareness of our case counts and vaccination rates to provide the community with the most current information and will inform the community when the mandate could be or is lifted," and "we defer to the federal authorities on when children under 12 years would receive the vaccine.". Helping everyone in San Mateo County live longer & better lives. The universal mask mandate was implemented, along with other COVID-19 recommendations, on Dec. 15 for four weeks. People who are hearing impaired or need to communicate with a person who is hearing impaired are also not subject to the mandate. Please enter valid email address to continue. Very young children must not wear a mask because of the risk of suffocation. Were in a good place to peel back restrictions.". In fact, Napa County's case rate actually increased week-over-week. Newsom says mask mandate to end after June 15 By ADAM BEAM Associated Press; May 12, 2021 May 12, 2021 . San Francisco business owners divided after news of mask mandate being lifted San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip told reporters Wednesday morning that people have been so. On Monday, the county saw a seven-day average of 85 cases per 100,000 people, a considerable drop from the early January peak of 239 cases per 100,000. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. Beginning April 3, the California Department of Public Health Read more aboutthe facilities, shelters, and residentialfacilities for the My dream would be that both of them just say,'This makes sense, state of California, let's follow suit and make it easier on businesses.'". If hospitalization rates remain elevated we would stick to our current approach. However, he said people should use more caution in settings where there is a lot of movement, including grocery stores and malls. In Marin County, the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has been cut in half from 20 on Aug. 23 to 10 on Sept. 6. Marin was the first to enter the yellow tier a week and a half ago, and was followed shortly after by San Mateo County. State-sponsored COVID-19 testing has ended in San Mateo County. And she encouraged people to assess their own individual risk when it comes to masking. Masks will be mandatory starting Monday at all San Mateo County facilities regardless of a person's vaccination status. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Some people are exempt from this latest mask rule, according to the California Department of Health. COVID shots are low priority for healthy kids, teens, WHO says. Local health jurisdictions and entities can implement additional requirements that go beyond this statewide guidance based on local circumstances. The updated guidance replaces mandatory masking requirements in high-risk settings with recommendations, which are also based on the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels. Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a mask. and/or through primary care providers, such asKaiser,Sutter Effective April 3, 2023, the updated guidance is intended to provide information that each Californian should consider based on their unique circumstances. Of course, if it takes weeks for children to become fully vaccinated (doses are given two weeks apart), a county teetering on the case requirement could fall out of the yellow tier while waiting to fulfill vaccination requirement, then have to re-enter the yellow tier and maintain for another three weeks, ensuring mask mandates linger. I dont think the school should lift the mask mandate because its like etiquette for people to keep wearing masks to protect other students, said junior and Virology Club member Josh Lee. Consider wearing a mask in indoor areas of public transportation (such as in airplanes, trains, buses, ferries) and transportation hubs (such as airports, stations, and seaports). For references on the effectiveness of masks and respirators, see CDC Science Brief: Community Use of Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2., Originally published on November 16, 2020, PO Box 997377 That's almost 10 times higher than the low point in June, despite a countywide vaccination rate of 78% among residents age 12 and older. Maria Medina Wilson Walker contributed reporting. No case or hospitalization data criteria was shared. They can also call 211 or one of the Core Service Agencies located throughout San Mateo County: Copyright 2023 County of San Mateo. Chin-Hong believes that in "stable environments" where proof of vaccination is required, removing your mask may outweigh the benefit more than the risk for some. Health officers for the nine Bay Area jurisdictions that require face coverings in most indoor public spaces. Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) PDFStandard and should consult those regulations for additional applicable requirements. For additional considerations for children and masking in childcare settings, see COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care Providers and Programs. ", Willis added that mandates would be kept in place if other concerning variants arise, and that his county will be "be approaching this cautiously" as "It's much harder to get control after a surge starts than to prevent it.". 2. We continue to operate vaccination clinics offering first and second doses of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson at 20 locations that are accessible to the most impacted communities.". San Francisco On June 2, following Alameda County's announcement of a renewed indoor mask mandate, San Francisco officials told KQED that they don't have plans to reinstate a similar mask mandate at this time. faith-based organizations concluded on March 31. Vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear masks in indoor or public spaces, but those who are unvaccinated must continue to wear their masks indoors. 11. When the mandate was first announced, city acting Health Officer Dr. Naveena Bobba expressly referred to the mandate as "temporary. to Default, About the Viral and Rickettsial Disease Lab, CDER Information for Health Professionals, Communicable Disease Emergency Response Program, DCDC Information for Local Health Departments, Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Branch, VRDL Guidelines for Specimen Collection and Submission for Pathologic Testing, State of CaliforniaHealth and Human Services Agency, en ", Now, with cases and hospitalizations decreasing in the San Francisco, the city's health department said in a statement, "We continue to monitor the cases and hospitalizations and will make decisions on masking requirements based on the data and the science and are consulting with our regional and state partners on next steps.". Willis said Marin's high vaccination rate is helping drive down cases and hospitalizations. It would be better if we were still wearing masks because [guests] might have an appointment for three or four hours and sit in a chair without a mask on and [employees] wouldnt know about [their vaccination status], said Y Salon & Spa receptionist Andrea Davila. She was born and raised in the Bay Area and got her start in news at the Daily Californian newspaper at UC Berkeley where she majored in English literature. Long Term Care Settings & Adult and Senior Care Facilities, Homeless shelters, Emergency shelters and cooling and heating centers, State and local correctional facilities and detention centers. Read thelatest community In-home COVID-19 vaccinations and boostersare available All Rights Reserved. County Healths COVID-19 pop-up clinic program for schools and from the federal government. Aug 2, 2021. For additionalinformation on testing guidance from the Get the Most out of Masking and see 1-833-4CA4ALL Marin County is seeing some of the lowest COVID-19 case rates in the Bay Area. However, even if the state lifts its mask requirement for schools, individual school. Copyright 2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Tags Steven Parodi of Public Health. 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Consistent with the SMARTER Plan and our adaptation of the SarsCoV-2 virus in our lives, California is updating its masking guidance. Long COVID and heart issues: What do we know about lingering symptoms and treatment? Homebound Weve been wearing masks for almost two years so itll be nice to see each others faces again. San Mateo County to lift indoor mask mandate on February 16. by Linda Hubbard on February 9, 2022. California joined Oregon and Washington in lifting school mask mandates, officials announced Monday. Eric Ting is SFGATE's politics editor. Updated booster shots are The updated guidance is unchanged for general community settings and continues to use a framework based on the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels. Finally, no person can be prevented from wearing a mask as a condition of participation in an activity or entry into a venue or business (including schools or childcare), unless wearing a mask would pose a safety hazard. Consistent with the SMARTER Plan and our adaptation of the SarsCoV-2 virus in our lives, California is updating its masking guidance. / CBS San Francisco. As of Friday, 81% of Marin's population was fully vaccinated. Read more; Social link April 11, 2016. As of Monday, Feb. 7, the county was experiencing an average of 85 new cases for every 100,000 residents, or about 663 new cases per day, down from the 1,123 cases per day reported last week.. Facilities that are high-risk settings should make respirators (e.g., N95s, KN95s, KF94s) with good fit or surgical masks available to any residents and staff who would like to use them. San Mateo County joined seven other Bay Area jurisdictions in requiring masks in public indoor settings after COVID-19 has resurged in the region. If youve had a significant exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, wear a mask for 10 days. [email protected]. He is an East Bay native who has a Master's degree in journalism from Stanford University. What to know, SLO County teacher was arrested over a paper cut? Some downtown San Mateo workers also felt as if San Mateo County should have delayed its mask mandate termination. Area counties will not need to meet previously First published on February 7, 2022 / 11:00 PM. recommended. There is medium community spread and impact on healthcare system of COVID-19. Vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear masks in indoor or public spaces, but those who are unvaccinated must continue to wear their masks indoors. She said it's just one more step to operating business as close to normal as possible. , For additional information on the most effective types of masks and ensuring a well-fitted mask for adults, individuals should refer to CDPH Local governments can continue their own indoor masking requirements. "I may be one of the holdouts and let the general public come into my store, elect whether they wear a mask or not. They are among a dozen states with mask mandates in schools. Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. ", When the mandate went into effect, Santa Clara County was the only county that offered a long-range estimate for when it would be lifted, as Deputy Health Officer Dr. George Han said, "We need the added protection of masks back into our lives until everyone is able to be vaccinated, especially children.. Napa County later followed suit, but Solano County has not issued such a mandate. For real-time information on the availability of vaccines and how All Bay Area counties now appear to be seeing some relief from the omicron surge in terms. The state of California will reassess its K-12 school mask mandate on Feb. 28, officials said Monday. The only thing thats changed is that [masks are now] strongly recommended instead of required and we assume that the majority of our students and faculty will continue to mask, said SMUHSD Health Services Manager Sara Devaney.