California indoor mask requirement has some exceptions

SAN FRANCISCO - California's new indoor mask requirement, which is set to take effect Wednesday, will have some exceptions that allow cities like San Francisco to continue permitting people to remove face coverings in certain situations.

San Francisco may maintain its policy that allows people to take off masks indoors in offices and gyms where 100% of the people have proof of COVID vaccination, the California Department of Public Health said Tuesday. 

The state reintroduced the measure to protect against the coronavirus. COVID cases have been spiking recently in California.

The development that San Francisco was exempted from the masking rule in certain situations raised the possibility that other counties might avoid what seemed like a universal requirement when announced by the state yesterday.

Areas where indoor masking had been mandatory regardless of vaccination status may uphold their local rules, the state said. 

Contra Costa County is one such area where there will be no change. County officials confirmed to KTVU that the local indoor requirements would remain in effect without any change.

San Mateo County, likewise, said that its indoor mask requirement regardless of vaccination status remains in effect.

Marin County had lifted its indoor mask requirements at bars, restaurants, and other businesses in November as well as in businesses where workers are fully vaccinated. Now, the county's health website says masks will be mandatory in those settings as well as in workplaces due to the new state rule. 

"This new measure brings an added layer of mitigation as the Omicron variant," the state health department said about the mask rule on its website. Omicron cases have been found in several California counties. The variant is thought to be highly contagious.

The state's said indoor masks will be required from December 15 to January 15.