Bay Area Health Officials Endorse Keeping Current Mask Guidance Until June 15
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Bay Area health officials said Wednesday they agree with the state's guidance on face masks, which is to continue wearing masks in most indoor settings for the next four weeks.
The Association of Bay Area Health Officials said Wednesday it strongly supports the California Department of Public Health's strategy to maintain current masking guidance until June 15, the day the state plans to fully reopen the economy.
Earlier this week, state health officials said keeping the current masking guidance in place will allow for additional time to vaccinate Californians before the state adopts the more relaxed masking guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Last week, the CDC said those who are fully vaccinated no longer need to mask in most indoor and outdoor situations, citing drops in COVID-19 cases and deaths, along with the rise in vaccinations.
Under California's current guidance, masks are required in most indoor situations and on public transit, regardless of vaccination status. Outdoors, the fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks except at crowded events. For the unvaccinated, face coverings are required outdoors at "any time physical distancing cannot be maintained."
Bay Area health officials said while almost half of California's population over age 16 fully vaccinated, and nearly 65% have received at least one dose of vaccine, large numbers of residents are still unvaccinated, not yet fully vaccinated, or not eligible to be vaccinated.
"Thanks to so many in our community who have gotten vaccinated, we have come a long way and can finally start to see a return to normalcy in our area," said Dr. Nicholas Moss, Alameda County Health Officer in a press statement. "This next month is our chance to further increase vaccination rates. Wear your mask now, so we can get to June 15 together."
The Association of Bay Area Health Officials represent health officers and local health jurisdictions in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and the City of Berkeley.
