The following is a joint statement on behalf of the counties of Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma, and the City of Berkeley
San Francisco Bay Area -- With cases of COVID-19 rising locally and increased circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the counties of Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma and the City of Berkeley recommend that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places to ensure easy verification that all unvaccinated people are masked in those settings and as an extra precautionary measure for all.
In June, the Delta variants comprised 43% of all specimens sequenced in California. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that Delta variants are now responsible for 58% of new infections across the country.
Fully vaccinated people are well-protected from infections and serious illness due to known COVID-19 variants including Delta variants, and vaccinating as many people as possible, as soon as possible, continues to be the best defense against severe COVID-19 infection, and the harm it can do to the region. Vaccines are safe, effective, free, and widely available to everyone 12 and older.
Out of an abundance of caution, people are recommended to wear masks indoors in settings like grocery or retail stores, theaters, and family entertainment centers, even if they are fully vaccinated as an added layer of protection for unvaccinated residents. Businesses are urged to adopt universal masking requirements for customers entering indoor areas of their businesses to provide better protection to their employees and customers. Workplaces must comply with Cal/OSHA requirements and fully vaccinated employees are encouraged to wear masks indoors if their employer has not confirmed the vaccination status of those around them.
“The Delta variant is spreading quickly, and everyone should take action to protect themselves and others against this potentially deadly virus,” said Alameda County Health Officer Dr. Nicholas Moss, whose county is reporting an average of 110 new cases per day and a daily case count of 6.7 per 100,000 people.
For masks to work properly, they need to completely cover the nose and mouth and fit snugly against the sides of the face and around the nose.
“After vaccination, masking is the next most powerful tool we have to protect ourselves and each other during this latest wave of infections,” Moss said. “Wearing masks, especially indoors and in crowded outdoor settings, will help us contain this more transmissible variant.”
Bay Area Health Officers will revisit the face covering recommendation in the coming weeks as they continue to monitor transmission rates, hospitalizations, deaths, and increasing vaccination rates throughout the region. County-by-county data can be monitored on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website. Marin County recently released two new online dashboards tracking variants and breakthrough cases, which are available on Marin’s data and surveillance webpage.
“The greater Bay Area is one large community, and we’re all experiencing the same concerning trends,” said Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis. “Though Marin has a higher vaccination rate than most, this move makes sense for Marin because we’re seeing surges in cases and we know that we can respond together to flatten the curve.”
People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. People with only one vaccine dose of Pfizer or Moderna not fully protected. Completion of the vaccine series is necessary to provide full protection.
Visit Marin Public Health’s Vaccine Finder tool to find a pop-up vaccination clinic near you, or consider getting a vaccine at a local pharmacy such as CVS, Walgreens, or RiteAid. Alternatively, vaccine appointments can be made by calling (833) 422-4255. If you missed your second dose, please find a vaccination clinic near you.