San Benito County Aligns with Updated State Guidance on Masking
March 2, 2022-San Benito County, CA: On February 28, 2022, the
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) along with
Governor Gavin Newsom announced starting March 1, 2022, masks will no longer be required for unvaccinated individuals, but will be strongly recommended for all individuals in most indoor settings. After March 11, 2022, in
schools and
childcare facilities, masks will not be required but will be strongly recommended. Masks will still be required for everyone in high transmission settings like
public transit,
emergency shelters, all
healthcare settings,
correctional facilities,
homeless shelters and
long-term care facilities.
Additionally, masks
are strongly recommended for all persons, regardless of vaccine status, in indoor public settings and businesses (examples: retail, restaurants, theaters, family entertainment centers, meetings, state and local government offices serving the public). No person can be prevented from wearing a mask as a condition of participation in an activity or entry into a business.
Following the California Department of Public Health’s release of new indoor masking guidance, Governor Gavin Newsom signed
Executive Order N-5-22 that updates the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) in keeping with the current
guidance. Starting March 1, 2022, 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 order also extends the current Emergency Temporary Standard through May 5, 2022, to ensure the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has time to review the new guidance in anticipation of the next readoption of the ETS.
San Benito County and the State realize COVID-19 has proved unpredictable and will respond to any change brought by more severe COVID-19 variants. The currently improving situation no longer necessitates masking mandates, but a worsening situation in the future could prompt a return to masking requirements.
The updated masking guidance is in line with the recently introduced California SMARTER – the next phase of California’s COVID-19 response. California SMARTER is anchored in the State’s focus on equity and addressing disparities. Details on SMARTER can be accessed here:
https://files.covid19.ca.gov/pdf/smarterplan.pdf.
More information is available in the updated
state guidance for face coverings.
