County, State and Workforce Now Share Masking Rules

Since the June 15 reopening in California, where most mandatory mask wearing for vaccinated people has been lifted, reaction to the changing rules has been mixed.

“Well, I’m fully vaccinated but I’m a little confused on, you know, should we wear them or not,” says Betty Hermone from Palm Desert. She’s still wearing a mask, just in case.

“I’ve been fully vaccinated and I feel that I can go without a mask, which I absolutely love,” says Anita Corral from Cathedral City. She says the mask made her feel like she was suffocating.

“One thing I’m paranoid and two I’m not vaccinated,” says Charles Edmondson, from Desert Hot Springs, adding he will continue to wear the mask.

“It’s always good advice to continue wearing our masks,” says Brian Zeringue, from Santa Clarita, who is a registered nurse.

Joe Duffle, president of the United Food Commercial Workers Local 1167, the union that represents mostly large chain grocery store employees says mask rules are finally a little clearer in the work place, ” adding that employers

“If you are not vaccinated or do not want to share your status then you have to wear the mask,” says Duffle. He is also the Inland Empire Labor Council.

“In all fairness there’s still a requirement on the employers if someone gets sick in their workplace there’s some pay that’s required and some other things that’s required of the employers so it’s not an unreasonable mandate,” says Duffle who adds that employers will ultimately make decisions based on risk, both to employees and their companies.

As far as customers, they’ll just rely on the honor system.

“They’re not going police it like we were asked to do early in the pandemic,” says Duffle.

Michael Osur the county’s assistant director of public health says as of Monday they’re following the same standards as the state, “Those who are vaccinated they do not have to wear a mask unless they are working in a healthcare facility, homeless shelter, cooling center and the like,” adding that also mass transit and schools indoors.

And while business can decide if they want customers and employees to wear masks, they can’t force them to go maskless, but the county will crack down on businesses with large outbreaks of 20 or more in one month.

“Everything changes and we we work with them on a mitigation plan, people wearing masks, putting up protective barriers again,” he says adding that they will monitor county outbreaks business by business, the state will enforce the rules when it comes to regional outbreaks.

“Now the governor did say that if things change and the cases start rising again he could bring back the other system, we don’t expect that to happen with more than half of our population vaccinated,” he says adding that’s the key to keeping the rates low, and encourages everyone who is eligible to get the vaccine so it stays that way.

Duffle says because some suffered tremendous losses while others were left unscathed, during this pandemic we will continue to see masks out there and that’s okay, “There’s some that are ready the mask is gone, there’s some that are really reluctant to give that mask up and let’s be courteous to each other.”

For a detailed plan on the mask rules click here: MASK RULES CALIFORNIA

For vaccination information click here: COVID VACCINE