California’s Indoor Mask Mandate Will End Feb. 15, Won’t Apply to K-12 Schools

Californians who are vaccinated will no longer have to wear masks inside come February 15, however the new rule will not include students and faculty at K-12 schools.

QUICK FACTS:
  • Health officials announced Monday that vaccinated Californians will not have to wear facial coverings indoors beginning Feb. 15.
  • Unvaccinated individuals are still required to wear masks indoors and some cities and counties, including Los Angeles, will keep their mask mandates in place.
  • The guidance released Monday also stated that students and staff members will still be required to wear masks, but health officials said they are working “with education, public health and community leaders to update masking requirements at schools to adapt to changing conditions and ensure the safety of kids, teachers, and staff.”
LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR ON KEEPING ITS INDOOR MASK MANDATE:

“When transmission is lower, we will appropriately be relaxing some masking requirements, but we’re not there yet.”

BACKGROUND:
  • California re-implemented its mask mandate Dec. 2021, amid the omicron surge and then extended it again last month.
  • In July 2020, two parent advocacy groups sued California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s top health officials over the statewide mandate that children were required to wear masks to school regardless of their vaccination status. 
  • “It’s clear that (the health the department) has chosen to ignore the overwhelming evidence that show children are at a very low risk from being infected with COVID-19, transmitting it to others, or becoming seriously ill from COVID-19,” Reopen California Schools founder Jonathan Zachreson of Roseville said in a statement.
  • The mask mandate will remain in effect during the Super Bowl at Sofi Stadium this Sunday, despite Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti both spotted maskless at the NFC Championship just a few weeks ago.

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