Despite growing calls for stricter vaccination and masking rules for workplaces to deal with a rise in job-site COVID-19 outbreaks, California regulators say they likely will not be able to make any changes until December.
“Given the steps needed, the board staff expected that the soonest we could have a new version to vote on is our December meeting,” said Laura Stock, a board member of the state Division of Occupational Health and Safety, known as Cal/OSHA.
Stock said she agrees on the importance of strong measures to reduce virus outbreaks in workplaces at a Thursday meeting of the Cal/OSHA standards Board.
“It’s beneficial to have a range of strategies to protect people, including masks, vaccinations, physical distancing, capacity restrictions, et cetera,” she said.
Under current statewide rules, people who say they have been vaccinated are not required to wear masks at work. Their unvaccinated counterparts, who refuse to get vaccinated, are currently required to continue masking up.
Many cities across the state, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, have already pushed vaccinations further, by requiring vaccinations for city employees and in many indoor settings.
Today L.A. County’s mask mandate for “mega events” went into effect, requiring anyone attending a major event outside to wear a mask - regardless of vaccination status.
The Health Department detailed the mandate earlier this week, and said only those who are “actively eating or drinking” will be allowed to lower their masks at such events.
San Francisco's citywide mandate also went into effect today. This means proof of full vaccination will now be required of anyone in the city who wants to enter a restaurant, gym, entertainment center or other public space in the city.
Mayor London Breed imposed the requirement out of fear that the current spike in COVID-19 cases could disrupt the city’s economic recovery.
The latest numbers released by the L.A. County Department of Public Health show 3,239 new cases of COVID-19 and 35 new deaths. More than 1,700 county residents are currently hospitalized with the virus.
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