COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information

March 1, 2022

Effective March 1, the California Department of Public Health's (CDPH) guidance on face coverings no longer requires that individuals wear face coverings indoors, regardless of vaccination status, except in limited settings where face coverings remain universally required.   For more information, please visit the CDPH's webpage. 

February 16, 2022

The California Department of Public Health recommends that everyone wear a face covering in indoor public settings, whether you’ve been vaccinated or not.  The statewide mask requirement expired on February 15, 2022. For more information, please visit the County's webpage. 

Face coverings will continue to be required for everyone in these settings, whether you’ve been vaccinated or not.  

• On public transit, such as buses, trains, airplanes, ferries, taxis and ride services, and in the areas that serve those, such as airports, transit stations, etc. 
• Indoors in K-12 schools, childcare and other youth settings 
• Healthcare settings, including long-term care facilities
• Detention facilities
• Homeless shelters, emergency shelters and cooling centers
• Unvaccinated people 

If you are not fully vaccinated you will need to wear a face covering in indoor public settings. That includes retail stores, restaurants, theaters, family entertainment centers and government offices.

December 15, 2021

The California Department of Public Health announced that starting Dec. 15 through February 15, 2022, everyone will need to wear a face covering in all indoor public settings, whether you've been vaccinated or not, CDPH guidance.

Face coverings continue to be required for everyone in these settings, whether you’ve been vaccinated or not.  

• On public transit, such as buses, trains, airplanes, ferries, taxis and ride services, and in the areas that serve those, such as airports, transit stations, etc. 
• Indoors in K-12 schools, childcare and other youth settings
• Adult and senior care facilities  
• Healthcare settings, including long-term care facilities 
• Detention facilities
• Homeless shelters, emergency shelters and cooling centers

No person can be prevented from wearing a mask as a condition of participation in an activity or entry into a business. 

Workplaces 

The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board provides guidance for employees in the workplace. See Cal/OSHA and Statewide Industry Guidance on COVID-19. 

Exemptions 

The following are exempt from wearing masks at all times: 

• People younger than two years old.  
• People with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a mask.  
• People who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication. 
• People for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines. 

What to wear and how to wear

Face coverings need to cover your nose and mouth. They can be made of cloth. You can buy them or make yourself, or even improvise from household items like scarves, T-shirts, sweatshirts and towels. Medical grade masks should be saved for healthcare workers.

When choosing a mask, consider how well it fits, how well it filters the air, and how many layers it has. There are two important ways to make sure your mask work the best it can.

Make sure it fits snugly against your face. There should not be any gaps that allow air in or out the edges of the mask.

Pick a mask with layers to keep your respiratory droplets in and others’ out. A mask with more than one layer will stop droplets from getting inside our mask or escaping if you’re sick.

Mask Do’s and Don’ts

Do:

• Choose a mask with a nose wire
• Use a mask fitter or brace over a disposal or cloth mask
• Check that it fits snugly over nose, mouth, and chin
• Add layers of materials:
• Use cloth mask that has more than one layer of fabric
• Wear a disposal mask underneath a cloth mask.
• Knot and tuck ear loops of a disposal mask to improve fit

Don’t:

• Combine two disposable masks
• Combine a KN95 with any other mask

How masks help fight COVID-19 

Many people who test positive for COVID-19 have no symptoms and could be spreading the virus to others without knowing it. A face covering blocks droplets when a person coughs, sneezes, sings or breaths. If someone is not vaccinated, they’re at higher risk of getting the virus then spreading it.

March 13, 2020

View the City of La Mesa Emergency Declaration.