Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

California Reopens June 15. Where Do You Need To Wear A Mask?

  •  Janelle Salanga 
Saturday, June 12, 2021 | Sacramento, CA
Randol White / CapRadio

Sign at the entrance to Big Stump Brewing Company in Sacramento in May 2021.

Randol White / CapRadio

When California reopens on June 15, you might not need a mask in public places — but where and when depends. 

California’s masking guidelines on Tuesday will fall in alignment with those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says that fully vaccinated people can resume most activities without physical distancing or face coverings.

The agency said that both indoor and outdoor events provide a minimal risk to fully vaccinated people, and that they have a reduced capability to transmit COVID-19 to others. However, the CDC does recommend that fully vaccinated people continue to wear face coverings when meeting with unvaccinated people, particularly those at high risk for COVID-19.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, according to a CDC science brief, have been shown to be at least 80% effective against asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 infection. 

But in its updated mask-wearing guidelines, the California Department of Public Health noted that around 15% of the California population didn’t have the option to be vaccinated — for example, kids 12 years and under — and that unvaccinated people had a higher risk of spreading and contracting COVID-19. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on June 4 that he will not be lifting the pandemic emergency after June 15, saying that COVID-19 wasn’t “taking the summer months off.” The state has been running a lottery to incentivize people to get vaccinated, the first winners of which were announced June 4. 
However, during the lottery announcement, Newsom also underscored that guidance around masking was subject to change in the coming months. 

“Over the course of the next few months, we’ll unfold with updates, recommendations, less mandates, more encouragement, more incentives and more resources,” he said. “We’ll be making more information available, making stronger determinations and ultimately updating our guidelines accordingly,” 

Here’s where masks are still needed in California starting June 15, where they aren’t and how those standards change for different people.

Where are masks needed for all people, regardless of vaccination status?

Masks are still required on public transportation, transportation hubs like airports, indoors in K-12 schools and youth settings, healthcare settings, correctional facilities, detention centers and shelters. 
The CDC has not yet released specific, updated guidance for mask-wearing in youth settings, including K-12 schools.

Where are masks needed for unvaccinated people?

Masks are still required for unvaccinated people in indoor public settings and businesses, such as restaurants and theaters. 

How will businesses and other public settings check for vaccination status? 

In public businesses where fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks, employers and operators have a number of options. They can require all visitors to wear masks, provide information on masking, vaccination and COVID-19 spread while enabling visitors to self-attest to vaccination status or implement a vaccine verification system.

One potential system is vaccine passports, which businesses could check to determine an individual’s vaccination status. However, that idea has drawn criticism from groups concerned about privacy violations and a passport’s failure to consider inequities in vaccine distribution. California has said it will not implement its own vaccine passport system, and is leaving those decisions up to businesses.

Do you still need to wear a mask at work?

Yes, all workers still need to wear a face covering when working indoors or working outdoors when they are less than six feet from another person, and when required by the CDPH or their local health department. 

That’s based on the current standards from the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards board, also known as Cal/OSHA. The board has gone back and forth with its standards, releasing less restrictive emergency guidance on June 3 that was overturned on June 9.

This could change during the next Cal/OSHA meeting, which takes place June 17. 

Who is exempt from wearing a mask in spaces where they are still required? 

Children younger than 2 years old, those with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a mask, those who are hearing-impaired or communicating with someone who is and people who cannot wear a mask due to work-related risks.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about Coronavirus

  • NIAID-RML via AP

    Coronavirus In California: Latest Updates And Resources

    The coronavirus has impacted nearly every aspect of life in California and around the world. Here are resources and all our coverage at CapRadio and NPR.

 Coronavirus

Janelle Salanga

Northern California Reporter

The Central Valley is something that is incredibly personal to me.  Read Full Bio 

 @janelle_cpp Email Janelle Salanga

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Interview: New Sacramento County Supervisor Pat Hume on storm flooding, his predecessor and transportation

February 7, 2023

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

January 31, 2023

Haven Daily / AP Photo

Will arts education cuts in proposed California budget have a big impact?

February 1, 2023

Most Viewed

How a new law is bringing more attention to natural carbon sequestration

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

In Turkey and Syria, outdated building methods all but assured disaster from a quake

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

How a new law is bringing more attention to natural carbon sequestration

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

In Turkey and Syria, outdated building methods all but assured disaster from a quake

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.