SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — California public health officials announced Wednesday that the state will follow the CDC's updated guidance on universal mask wearing in indoor public settings.
In updated guidance posted Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health said its July 28 update supersedes all previous facial covering guidance and adds:
- Recommendation for universal masking indoors statewide;
- Adult and Senior Care Facilities are now settings where all individuals must wear masks indoors
California had already required masks at indoor public settings, and when outdoors and physical distancing was not possible for unvaccinated residents. The state also already required masks at schools, on public transportation, while traveling via airlines, at prison facilities, at homeless shelters, and at healthcare settings.
The week, California also announced that it would require vaccinations or regular testing for state employees and healthcare workers.
RELATED: San Diego County recommends following CDC's updated mask guidance
The changes comes days after the CDC announced recommendations that everyone wear face coverings at indoor public places, like businesses, restaurants, and grocery stores, regardless of vaccination status due to surging COVID-19 case numbers. That surge is being attributed to the fast-spreading delta variant of the virus, which is now the leading strain of the coronavirus in the nation, according to health officials.
In San Diego County, officials announced Tuesday that it would follow the CDC and recommend that everyone wear masks when in public and indoors, but stopped short of making it a mandate similar to how Los Angeles County's order.
"The rate of COVID-19 cases in San Diego County is rated 'high' by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New research reveals the delta variant is much more transmissible and expected to lead to a growing number of cases in vaccinated individuals while primarily striking the unvaccinated. The County of San Diego will follow the latest CDC guidance in recommending the universal wearing of masks by both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in indoor public settings. Masks are an added measure; vaccinations are critical for getting back to the things we love," a county statement read.