Withdraw some indoor mask obligations in San Francisco Bay Area | National News

San Francisco (AP) — San Francisco Bay Area indoor masking requirements are for certain indoor public offices, gyms, college classrooms, churches, etc. when the county has low COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates, reaching at least 80%. It is mitigated in the environment. Fully vaccinated of the total population, officials announced Thursday.

When the counties in the region issued the country’s first stay-at-home order in March 2020, the Bay Area, one of the highest and lowest case rates in the country, was cautious throughout the pandemic.

Public health authorities in San Francisco, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo after lifting some restrictions in the spring Revived the duty of indoor masks in August COVID-19 infection has surged due to the highly contagious delta mutant.

Since then, incidents in the Bay Area have diminished, and authorities are now agreeing to begin lifting mask obligations in some public spaces. The 80% vaccination rate includes the entire population, not just those over the age of 12 who are eligible for injection. It is up to each county to decide on their own mask rules.

San Francisco will begin relaxing rules next week, but such changes are likely to be weeks ahead in most areas.

“I don’t want to get rid of this important layer of COVID prevention too quickly, as indoor masking helped reduce case numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID-19,” said Dr. Saracody, Health Officer of Santa Clara. I did.

Given that vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 have not yet been approved in Contra Costa County, where 71% of the population is vaccinated, it will be some time before people actually start to remove their masks. Authorities said it could take some time.

“I want to be clear, we’re not there yet. By standards, it will probably take a few more weeks to enter a store or restaurant without a mask,” said a supervisor in Contra Costa County. Visor Diane Barges said.

San Francisco, where 75% of the total population is fully vaccinated, already has patrons from various businesses Must show evidence of complete vaccinationIncludes offices, gyms, and college classrooms. The Mayor of London Breed’s office on Thursday can prove that everyone under 100 people and other environments are vaccinated, well-ventilated, and masked unless there are children under the age of 12. He said the requirements would be relaxed on October 15.

According to Breed, San Francisco bar and restaurant patrons are required to wear a mask inside, regardless of vaccination status, unless they are eating or drinking.Last month’s mayor was seen in the video Maskless at nightclubShe said she violated the rules and later told reporters that it was unreasonable to ask patrons to wear masks except when eating and drinking.

“Make sure you’re vaccinated for your requirements, but don’t think you need to have close control over wearing a mask. Fun police are coming and what to do You don’t have to tell me if it isn’t. “

Indoor masking will continue to be needed in retail stores and other shared indoor locations where people from different work environments can interact, such as shared areas such as elevators, lobbies, and toilets.

“This is an important step forward for San Francisco, especially downtown. One of the things I keep listening to when talking to office workers and business leaders is that they are anxious to return to more normal daily life at work. It’s a place where you can interact with your colleagues. “

State and federal regulations still require masks to be worn on public transport, medical facilities, care facilities for adults and the elderly, and schools from kindergarten to high school.

Steve Pika, owner of Asta Yoga in San Francisco, said it was around the time that vaccinated people were able to exercise without masks.

Pika said students need to register online and upload vaccination certificates. His studio is well ventilated and there is plenty of room for people to stay away.

“They aren’t moving and don’t open their mouths like restaurants and bars, where more than 100 people wearing masks and talking immediately can come to the theater. Drinks And share food, “he said.

Such strict obligations do not make any sense at such high immunization rates in San Francisco, he said.

“Instead of enjoying the fact that we all live in this place where we all play our part, we live on policies that still seem inconsistent with reality,” he said. ..

Associated Press writer Jocelyn Gecker contributed to this report.

The story has been modified to show that 75% of San Francisco’s total population is vaccinated, not 75% of the population over the age of 12.

Copyright 2021 AP communication. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.

Withdraw some indoor mask obligations in San Francisco Bay Area | National News

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