Today, July 27, 2021, the Center for Disease Control revised their mask guidance in light of the Delta variant, which continues to spread across the country. While we were hoping that the move to unmasking would be more permanent, we did advise to keep those masks handy just in case. Following yesterday’s announcement from Governor Newsom calling the increase in cases the “pandemic of the unvaccinated,” the CDC now recommends that fully vaccinated individuals should wear a mask indoors in public if they live in an area of the U.S. where COVID-19 rates are marked as “high” or “substantial.” The guidance for people who are unvaccinated remains the same: Continue masking until fully vaccinated.
In California, Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles counties are all marked as “high,” while San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, and San Bernardino counties are marked as “substantial.” This means if you live in these counties, even fully vaccinated individuals should be wearing masks indoors in public places.
While Los Angeles County is still the only county in California to re-issue a mask mandate, which is currently in place, employers should be aware that other counties may not be far behind. As a result of these revised recommendations, it is important for businesses to stay alert to changing conditions to ensure compliance with county and state requirements, and ensure the safety of your employees, clients, and customers.
Employers should also be encouraging their employees to get vaccinated. With the increase of COVID-19 cases in California, Employers may want to revisit the requirements surrounding whether or not to mandate vaccines in their workplace or consider other options to maximize workplace safety. This follows Governor Newsom’s edict yesterday that all state employees and health care workers must show proof of vaccination or get tested regularly.
Employers–make sure you re-evaluate your COVID-19 protocols in light of these new changes and increase in the Delta variant, that you communicate and are flexible to meet the needs of your employees, your workplace and overall safety. For more information on what your county requires of your business and your employees with the new CDC mask guidelines or to learn what you should be doing to be California compliant, contact the Employer Lawyers at Chauvel & Glatt.
This 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. For information on your particular circumstances, please contact Chauvel & Glatt at 650-573-9500. (photo credit: 123rf.com)
