As of 02/09/22:
The County of San Luis Obispo Public Health Officer announced that starting February 16, 2022 face coverings are no longer required for vaccinated individuals indoors.
Face coverings* are required for unvaccinated individuals in indoor public settings and businesses.
Face coverings are also required for all individuals in the following settings, regardless of vaccination status:
- Public transit
- Indoors in K-12 schools, childcare
- Healthcare settings
- Correctional facilities and detention centers
- Homeless shelters
- Long term care settings and senior care facilities
*Per the Cal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), a face covering means a surgical mask, a medical procedure mask, a respirator worn voluntarily, or a tightly woven fabric or non-woven material of at least two layers (i.e., fabrics that do not let light pass through when held up to a light source) that completely covers the nose and mouth and is secured to the head with ties, ear loops, or elastic bands that go behind the head. If gaiters are worn, they shall have two layers of fabric or be folded to make two layers. A face covering is a solid piece of material without slits, visible holes, or punctures, and must fit snugly over the nose, mouth, and chin with no large gaps on the outside of the face. A face covering does not include a scarf, ski mask, balaclava, bandana, turtleneck, collar, or single layer of fabric.
Unvaccinated employees are exempt from wearing face coverings in the following indoor specific settings:
- Persons actively eating/drinking.
- Persons who are working in an office or in a room alone.
- Persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service.
- Workers who are required to wear respiratory protection.
- Persons who are specifically exempted from wearing face coverings by other CDPH guidance.
The following individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings at all times:
- Persons younger than two years old. These very young children must not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation.
- Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance. Such conditions are rare.
- Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
- Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.
Note: Persons exempted from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition who are employed in a job involving regular contact with others must continue to wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits it.