Alameda County Health Care Services Public Health Department
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COVID-19
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Wear a Mask to Add Protection

Consider your and your household’s risk when approaching decisions to mask.

masks

Requirements

When Persons Need to Mask
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Health Officer Orders

Order Rescinding Masking Mandate (22-03)
Order Requiring Staff Masking in Skilled Nursing Facilities (23-02)
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Recommendations
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Resources

Face Masking Resources

Alameda County is aligned with state masking guidance except as required by local Order for staff in skilled nursing facilities.
COVID-19 continues to circulate in our communities. COVID-19 poses the greatest risk for severe disease to those over 65 years of age and persons with certain health issues. But, anyone who gets COVID-19 can develop long COVID. 

Persons 2 years of age and older may want to continue masking in indoor public settings and businesses, even when the County COVID-19 Hospital Admission Level is Low. When people wear a mask correctly, they protect others as well as themselves.   

Some people should not wear a mask, such as children younger than 2 and people with certain medical conditions or disabilities. 

Masking guidance for persons with COVID-19 or who have been exposed can be found on the Isolation and Quarantine page.  

When persons, regardless of vaccination status, MUST wear a mask

  • Staff in Skilled Nursing Facilities MUST wear high quality, well-fitting masks in patient care areas 
  • In workplaces, employers and employees are subject to either the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations or the Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) Standard and should consult those regulations for applicable masking requirements.  
  • When required by any business, government office, health care facility, adult or senior care facility, youth-serving facility, transport operator or transportation hub, or other entity. 

Recommendations

Guidance to prevent severe COVID-19

Follow these tips for protection against COVID-19:

  • Get vaccinated and boosted – vaccination is the single most important action to prevent severe disease and death from COVID-19.
  • Layer your protection — in addition to vaccination and masking, improve ventilation (or gather outdoors), get tested if exposed or ill, and stay home if sick.
  • Talk to your medical provider if you are immunocompromised or have other health risks.

You can choose to wear a mask, especially if you answer yes to any of the following:

  • Are you over age 65 or have health issues that puts you at risk for a severe case of COVID-19? 
  • Are you missing your most recent recommended COVID-19 vaccine dose? 
  • Do you live/visit with people at risk of going to the hospital if they get COVID-19?
  • Do you go to work or interact with the public regularly?
  • Is the COVID-19 Hospital Admission Level High where you live, in your social group, or where you are going? 
  • Do you feel safer with a mask?

Resources

  • Get the Most Out of Masking
  • California’s Vaccine Record Guidelines and Standards
  • CDC Guidance for using masks
  • CDC Science Brief: Community Use of Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2
  • CDC Guidance for N95 Respirators
  • Find Free N95 Masks
  • Masks Required for Entry Posters: English | Arabic | Burmese | Dari | Farsi | Hindi | Khmer | Korean | Mongolian | Pashto | Punjabi | Spanish | Tagalog | Tigrinya | Traditional Chinese | Vietnamese
Alameda County Health Care Services Agency Public Health Department Coronovirus COVID-19
  • 510.268.2101
  • emailncov@acgov.org

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  • Data & Surveillance
  • Vaccines
  • Masks & Face Coverings
  • Testing & Treatment
  • Long COVID
  • Isolation/Quarantine
  • Outbreak Reporting Requirements
  • Long-term Care Facilities/Adult Day Program
  • Schools/Childcare
  • Workplace & Recovery
  • Community Resources
  • Response Updates
  • News & Media
  • Contact Us
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