Just weeks after legal measures were announced regarding the lifting of mask requirements, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a new mandate stating that masks are required to be worn in all indoor public settings regardless of vaccination status. This new mandate will be effective from December 15, 2021, through January 15, 2022, and is expected to be carried out across all industries.
These new guidelines are to be applied to local health jurisdictions that had not previously established indoor masking requirements for the sectors under their care, which means that all previous jurisdictions, like the ones currently in place in Los Angeles, continue to apply, with the reinforcement that they are to be followed by all individuals, regardless of if they have been vaccinated or not.
The California Department of Public Health also confirmed additional exceptions for the mask-wearing mandates, including:
- People eating or drinking
- Performers at indoor live events such as music or acting
- Children under the age of two
- People specifically exempted from wearing masks by other CDPH guidance
Updated jurisdictions also address attendance to Mega Events (this being outdoor settings that attract over 10,000 attendees or an indoor event with over 1000 attendees), with the required period to show negative COVID tests before attending a Mega Event now being one week.
CDPH confirmed that the revised mandates are expected to apply in the workplace across all sectors and industries, regardless of whether or not they serve or are open to the public. The organization also confirmed that exceptions will be granted for employees who are alone in closed-off offices or rooms. Though the orders as to what exactly “indoor public setting” means remain vague, the information provided by the organization seems to expect workplaces to follow suit, which means that employers are advised to not only follow mask mandates but to continuously monitor local health policies to ensure they are meeting workplace requirements.