It’s been almost two weeks since the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) required Californians to wear a cloth face mask when outside the home, with limited exceptions. As cases of COVID-19 rise, it’s becoming increasingly more important to wear a mask to slow the disease’s spread — and ultimately, the face mask requirement helps businesses to stay open during these uncertain times.
In response to California seeing a surge of COVID-19 cases in some counties, the CDPH required seven counties to close their bars immediately and recommended eight other counties do the same. Bars were targeted specifically because these environments lead to reduced compliance of personal protective measures, including use of face coverings, and they require raised voices, which leads to greater projection of potentially infected droplets.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminds us that cloth face coverings help protect people around you and most likely reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used in public settings. Requiring employees and customers wear face coverings helps prevent the spread of COVID-19, which in turn keeps businesses open.
Remember, California’s June 18 Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings included that Californians must wear a face covering when engaged in work, whether at the workplace or performing work off-site, when:
- Interacting in-person with any member of the public;
- Working in any space visited by members of the public, regardless of whether anyone from the public is present at the time;
- Working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution to others;
- Working in or walking through common areas, such as hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities; and
- In any room or enclosed area where other people (except for members of the person’s own household or residence) are present when unable to physically distance.
Individuals are exempt from these guidelines in limited circumstances. California also has industry-specific guidance on reducing the risk of COVID-19, which includes childcare, day camps, delivery services, office workspaces and real estate transactions.
Keep an eye out for updated requirements as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.
Remind your employees, customers and visitors to wear protective face masks in public. CalChamber sells eye-catching posters that serve as a quick, easy-to-understand visual reference and are available in different, colorful designs so you can mix and match.
Katie Culliton, Editor, CalChamber
CalChamber sells social distancing posters and floor decals. As employees start resuming their normal workplace routines, they may forget to physically distance themselves from their coworkers. It’s all too easy to slip back into old routines.
Social distancing floor decals remind everyone what distance is needed to be properly distanced from coworkers and customers, while posters reinforce CDC guidelines, which help make your workplace safer.
