Indoor Mask Order Back In Effect In Concord, Contra Costa County

CONCORD, CA — An updated mask order goes into effect Wednesday in Concord and Contra Costa County, requiring everyone to wear masks in all public indoor places without exceptions for certain indoor settings.

The health order was announced Tuesday by Contra Costa Health Services amid "the highly contagious COVID-19 omicron variant circulating in Contra Costa County," public health officials said in a news release.

Previously, fully vaccinated public speakers and performers, and fully vaccinated groups of 100 or fewer people were allowed to remove their face coverings under controlled conditions.

"The order, which goes into effect on Dec. 29, 2021, now requires all people in Contra Costa, regardless of vaccination status, to mask in public indoor settings," county health officials said.

Masks must now be worn regardless of vaccination status in the following indoor public places in Contra Costa County:

• Business offices
• Retail stores
• Restaurants
• Gyms and fitness centers
• Theaters
• Family entertainment centers
• Meeting rooms
• State and local government facilities where services are provided to the public

“The omicron variant is very contagious, and we now know that anyone, regardless of vaccination status, can spread this variant to other people,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa County deputy health officer. “We anticipate the case rate and hospitalization numbers to increase over the coming weeks. To reduce spread, cases and hospitalizations, we all need to wear masks anytime we are in an indoor public setting.”

Contra Costa County's first case of the omicron variant was identified Dec. 18, and since then case rates and hospitalizations have significantly increased. The average number of daily new COVID-19 cases has increased 149 percent over the last week and hospitalizations have risen 31 percent.

Because cases and hospitalizations involve both unvaccinated and fully vaccinated people, the county "strongly urges everyone to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as they are able."

The requirements for lifting the indoor masking order in Contra Costa County can be tracked on our Indoor Mask Dashboard.

The order does not apply to people in the following circumstances:

• When alone in a room.
• When actively eating or drinking.
• When swimming or showering.
• When receiving care or other service that requires removal of the face covering, including by way of example and without limitation, medical care requiring exposure of the nose or mouth, cosmetic services involving the face, and dental procedures.
• When participating in a religious activity at a religious gathering, to the extent that removal of face coverings is necessary for participation.
• When exempt from wearing face coverings under the State Face Covering Guidance or other applicable California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance. The State Face Covering Guidance exempts the following individuals from wearing masks:
• People younger than 2 years old. Very young children must not wear a mask because of the risk of suffocation.
• People with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a mask, including persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a mask could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a mask without assistance.
• People who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
• People for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined.