On February 16, 2022, eleven Bay Area counties, excluding Santa Clara County, will follow state guidance and drop the universal indoor mask mandates, for the time being. In alignment with the State of California, the Bay Area counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and the City of Berkeley will no longer have a local mask mandate that is in currently in effect now requiring everyone to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status. Remember, those mask mandates are still in effect for Santa Clara County.
What is the new masking policy now? Starting on February 16, 2022, the face mask guidance will revert back to only requiring face masks in all indoor, public settings for individuals who are unvaccinated. Also, everyone, regardless of vaccination status, will still be required to wear masks in public transportation settings, health care centers, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, long-term care facilities, K-12 schools, and childcare settings.
Do know that while the face mask requirements have loosened, businesses, venue operators and hosts may determine their own paths forward to protect their employees and customers and may choose to require all patrons to wear masks. Don’t forget that these regulations may change quickly if the Covid-19 numbers rise again. Employers are also still required to have written Covid-19 policies in place and should update these policies as the regulations change. Be sure to also notify your employees of these new mask updates to ensure compliance.
To learn more about how to deal with the everchanging face mask and Covid-19 requirements in your workplace, contact the contact the Employer Lawyers at Chauvel & Glatt.
The material in this article, provided by Chauvel & Glatt, is designed to provide informative and current information as of the date of the post. It should not be considered, nor is it intended to constitute, legal advice or promise similar outcomes. For information on your particular circumstances, please contact Chauvel & Glatt at 650-573-9500.
