The state of California’s latest phase in pandemic-related health guidance begins on Tuesday, when it will no longer require — although will continue to recommend — masking in indoor public places, with plans later this month to change from mask requirements to recommendations in schools.
With declining case rates and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 across the West, California, Oregon and Washington are moving together to update their masking guidance.
California Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly discussed the changes on Monday, explaining that dropping case numbers and hospitalizations had led to the state making the changes.
He said that while public indoor masking is no longer required regardless of vaccination, it is still strongly recommended.
Ghaly said that after March 11, schools and child care centers also will be able to move from required masking, but with a strong recommendation for the practice to remain in effect.
Masking will continue to be required in health care facilities and high risk congregate settings such as long term care facilities, and jails and prisons, Ghaly said.
He said local government jurisdictions and schools may keep additional requirements in place beyond what the state announced.
The changes Ghaly discussed on Monday come 10 days after Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled the SMARTER plan, the seven pillars of which are shots, masks, awareness, readiness, testing, education and RX, or treatments.
As California enters this next phase of the pandemic, Ghaly said the future may bring new surges and variants.
He said state officials will continue to be ready and build on what they’ve learned so they can keep Californians safe.
The data trends the state used to make the change in regulations included a 66% reduction over the past two weeks in the case rate, which is expected to continue to drop, Ghaly said.
Ghaly said hospitalizations are down by 48% for adults and 47% for children, with test positivity down 53%.
He said different regions of the state don’t experience the pandemic the same way, so some areas of California may have hospitals that are impacted while other locations are doing better.
When new variants arise, Ghaly said they will try to understand them by looking at data trends and test positivity. “It will be a fluid, California-specific approach moving forward.”
He urged people to be kind, accepting, respectful and safe as the changes go into effect.
Later on Monday, Gov. Newsom signed an executive order that updates the Division of Occupational Safety and Health COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard in keeping with the current guidance.
In California, starting March 1, masks will no longer be required for unvaccinated workers indoors, consistent with the updated CDPH guidance, but will be strongly recommended for all individuals in most indoor settings. Employers must still provide a face covering upon request of an employee, the state reported.
The order also extends the current Emergency Temporary Standard through May 5 to ensure the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has time to review the new guidance in anticipation of the next readoption of the Emergency Temporary Standard.
Plans at the county level
Regarding what the county of Lake plans to do with regard to the regulations, Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein told Lake County News that face coverings will remain required indoors in county facilities, pending future action by the Board of Supervisors.
“Otherwise, Lake County is in alignment with statewide requirements,” Rothstein said.
A COVID-19 update is expected as part of Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, but no item regarding changes to face covering requirements is currently scheduled, he said.
At the board’s Feb. 15 meeting, supervisors Jessica Pyska and Tina Scott said they wanted to have the newly named Public Health officer, Dr. Erik McLaughlin, collaborate with the Public Health team to make recommendations to the board.
Rothstein said the board’s consensus at the Feb. 15 meeting was to bring back a discussion on county rules to the board within the first two weeks of March.
He said that discussion will probably take place at the board’s meeting on Tuesday, March 8.
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State introduces new masking guidance; school masking rules to change after March 11
- Elizabeth Larson
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