The rules keep changing. What’s the latest on masks and COVID vaccines in California?

In the last week, both the state and federal government have released new guidelines and mandates in response to the growing number of delta variant cases of COVID-19.

With so much change in such a short period of time, it can be easy to lose track of what the rules are right now. Here are the answers to some questions you might have:

Do I have to wear a mask when indoors?

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health are recommending that Californians resume wearing face coverings when indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.

“The delta variant has caused a sharp increase in hospitalizations and case rates across the state. We are recommending masking in indoor public places to slow the spread while we continue efforts to get more Californians vaccinated,” Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer, said in a statement.

Do I need to wear a mask at work?

Sacramento, Yolo and Los Angeles counties have returned to an indoor mask mandate regardless of vaccination status, citing a substantial rise in COVID cases.

In other parts of California, presuming your work is indoors and you are vaccinated, it is recommended by the state — though not required — that you wear a mask at work in California.

If you are unvaccinated against COVID-19, and you work in either a health care setting or else for the state of California, then it is mandatory that you wear a mask at work, and also submit to regular, weekly testing for the COVID-19 virus.

Is my child required to wear a mask at school?

The California Department of Public Health is mandating that all teachers and students wear a mask when at school, regardless of their vaccination status. This rule goes into effect in the coming school year, even though a lawsuit has been launched to challenge it.

Is the state requiring proof of vaccination?

The state is requiring proof of vaccination status for all state employees and health care workers. These workers can refuse to provide that proof. If they do so, however, they will be required to wear a mask while at work and also to submit to regular, weekly COVID-19 testing.

The cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach have adopted similar policies.

The health care industry and most state worker unions have been receptive to this new rule. One union — SEIU Local 1000, which represents 100,000 state employees — is challenging the rule, demanding that the state Department of Human Resources meet and confer with union leaders before implementing it.

What does the CDC recommend?

Nationally, the CDC is recommending that people wear a mask when in an area of substantial or high transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The majority of California falls under that designation. Only Inyo, Lassen, Mono, Monterey, Sierra and Tehama counties are excluded from that designation, according to a Bee review of the CDC’s COVID-19 county tracker.

Is the delta variant more dangerous?

The delta variant of the COVID-19 virus is a much more contagious form of the virus, according to the CDC. While the symptoms of the delta variant are the same as the original version of the virus, doctors are seeing people – especially young people – getting sicker more quickly.

This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 11:31 AM with the headline "The rules keep changing. What’s the latest on masks and COVID vaccines in California?."