SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) – A health order was amended on Thursday in Sonoma County to allow some to go maskless indoors, that is, if the group is fully vaccinated.
Health officer Dr. Sundari Mase announced that if gyms, classes, and offices can verify that everyone is vaccinated, then they have the option to lift the indoor mask mandate.
This is an exception to the health order that Dr. Mase issued on Aug. 3 that requires face masks in indoor public settings.
This amendment is voluntary, which means employers can still enforce indoor masking.
“Our face covering requirement has been a critical tool in our community’s battle to control the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Mase said. “Given that our case rate is now on the decline, it makes sense to loosen the requirement for certain stable groups of fully vaccinated people. But, in general, we must continue to wear our masks in most indoor settings in order to limit the spread of the virus during the coming winter months.”
This updated health order applies to indoor gatherings of 100 people or less in:
- Offices
- Gyms
- Fitness Centers
- Employee Commuter Vehicles
- Religious Gatherings
- College Classes
- Other Organized Gatherings
In addition, employers, hosts and organizers will need to control access and not be open to the general public.
A negative COVID-19 test is not a substitute for being fully vaccinated.
