California to require masks for unvaccinated individuals after June 15
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California health officials have offered new guidance on who will be required to wear a face mask indoors and in other settings once the state lifts most restrictions on residents and businesses later this month.
Those who are fully vaccinated from the novel coronavirus COVID-19 as of June 9 will not need to wear a face mask in most cases starting June 15, the same day the state retires its color-coded restriction system.
According to state health officials, this means 54 percent of Californians who are over the age of 12 will be able to leave their masks at home, except in certain circumstances. Those who use public transportation — including airline customers, those who ride ferries, train passengers and bus passengers — will still need to wear a mask while traveling. Staff and students at K-12 schools will also need to wear a mask, as will those who are employed or served by hospitals, homeless shelters and prisons.
Californians who are partially vaccinated or entirely unvaccinated will also have to continue to wear a face mask in most indoor settings, state health officials said. Businesses may also require patrons to wear a mask indoors based on their own restrictions if they so choose, even if state health officials no longer require it.
State officials say they will largely leave it up to individual businesses to enforce the state’s new indoor mask guidance for partially vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Businesses are permitted to require proof of vaccination in order to comply with the new policy, but they’re also allowed to use the “honor system” and assume a person who isn’t wearing a mask is vaccinated.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s chief health officer, said a person who walks into a business without a mask on, they should be treated as someone who is “self-attesting” to have received the vaccine.
Local counties are also allowed to impose their own restrictions on businesses and residents when it comes to face masks and other matters. As of Wednesday, there has been no indication from Solano County health officials that they will take a tougher stance on the issue.
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