Starting today, there is no state mandate to wear a face covering indoors…if you are fully vaccinated.
Governor Newsom’s office made the announcement earlier this week that it was ending the state’s requirement for indoor masking, beginning on February 16. However, as anyone who watched the Super Bowl knows, the Governor’s announcement is more a recognition of the everyday behavior of most Californians rather than granting permission in any meaningful sense.
The statewide indoor mask mandate remains in effect for unvaccinated individuals, although there is no real enforcement mechanism.
Governor Newsom punted on the question of school children being required to wear masks. Newsom is leaving that requirement in place for two more weeks, despite the mounting evidence that such mandates have little if any public health impact while negatively impacting the ability of students to learn.
The state is keeping the indoor mask mandate in place for specific situations:
- On public transit (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, childcare
- Emergency shelters and cooling and heating centers
- Healthcare settings
- State and local correctional facilities and detention centers
- Homeless shelters
- Long Term Care Settings & Adult and Senior Care Facilities
Supervisor Don Wagner had this to say about Newsom’s announcement:
