By Roger Straw, July 29, 2021

Masks now REQUIRED for many indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status

Solano County Public Health updated its Facebook page today in accordance with new guidance on masking issued yesterday by the California Public Health Department.

Solano Public Health on Facebook

The County’s message on Facebook, along with the image you see above is:

In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), as of July 28th masks are required in the following indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status.

For more information on masking requirements, please visit: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/…/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx“

Solano County website – details…

The County’s Coronavirus Updates and Resources page has also been updated – in great detail, but without the clarity and emphasis displayed on its Facebook page.

If you scroll halfway down the page, you will find the following updated and detailed information.  You will also notice that the messaging avoids taking responsibility at the County level for the new requirements, passing the mandate off on the State.

Face Covering

All Californians will continue to follow State masking guidelines:

Masks are required for all individuals in the following indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status:

• • On public transit[1] (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[2], childcare[3]
  • Emergency shelters[4] and cooling centers[5]Masks are required for all individuals, in the following indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status (and surgical masks are recommended):
    • Healthcare settings[6]
    • State and local correctional facilities and detention centers[7]
    • Homeless shelters[8]
    • Long Term Care Settings[9] & Adult and Senior Care Facilities[10]
    • Additionally, masks are required* for unvaccinated individuals in indoor public settings and businesses (examples: retail, restaurants, theaters, family entertainment centers, meetings, state and local government offices serving the public).

4.      Exemptions:
The following specific settings are exempt from face covering requirements:

• • Persons in a car alone or solely with members of their own household,
  • Persons who are working alone in a closed office or room,
  • Persons who are obtaining a medical or cosmetic service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service,
  • Workers who wear respiratory protection, or
  • Persons who are specifically exempted from wearing face coverings by other CDPH guidance.

·     The following individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings at all times:

• • Persons younger than two years old. Very young children must not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation.
  • Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering 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 face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.

*Note: Persons exempted from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition who are employed in a job involving regular contact with others must wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits it.

Related Materials: Face Coverings Fact sheet (PDF) | Face Mask Tips and Resources | Face Shields Q&A (PDF) | All Guidance | More Languages