Santa Cruz County Loosens Face Mask Rules For Some

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Santa Cruz County announced changes Tuesday to its guidance on face coverings.

• People who were vaccinated may remove their face coverings outdoors unless they are attending live performances, parades or other events involving large crowds with people in close proximity to one another.
• People who are not vaccinated must still wear face coverings when 6 feet of physical distance from others is not possible.
• Fully vaccinated people may gather in private indoor groups with other fully vaccinated people. They may also gather with people who are at low risk of serious COVID-19 complications and are from the same household.
• All people must still wear face coverings when indoors and outside of their homes, including riding public transportation.
• Employers should check here for industry-specific guidance.

The county's move comes after the California Department of Public Health announced that the state's face covering guidance would now align with the latest recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new CDC guidance on face coverings was issued last week.

Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel as of Tuesday rescinded a previous local face covering order put into effect a year ago. Newel brought the county into alignment with state rules.

In Santa Cruz County, six in 10 residents ages 65 and older have been fully vaccinated, state data show. The same is true for half those ages 50 to 64 and a third of those ages 18 to 49.

Santa Cruz County residents looking for more information on COVID-19 can go here, call 211, text "COVID19" to 211211 or call 831-454-4242 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.