California Issues New Indoor Mask Mandate

On Monday, December 13, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health announced a renewed mask mandate for all indoor settings. The new mandate requires that face coverings be worn by all individuals in public settings, irrespective of vaccine status, from December 15, 2021, through January 15, 2022.

The new mandate is in response to a rise in new cases of COVID-19—in particular, a 47% increase statewide in the past two weeks—confirmation that the Omicron variant is spreading in California, and a concern that holiday travel and gatherings will inevitably lead to higher rates of infection. State officials believe earlier mask mandates helped check the rates of new infections and are hopeful reintroducing the mandate will do the same during this holiday season.  Indeed, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Monday, "This is a critical time where we have a tool that we know has worked and can work [again]."  Dr.