State public health officials are asking Californians to keep their masks on indoors until June 15, whether they’ve gotten a COVID-19 vaccine or not, though they can skip masks outdoors as long as they’re not in a crowd and can keep a distance from others. Last week, new federal guidance said vaccinated people need not wear a mask in most indoor and outdoor situations. State officials have been getting questions since then on whether California’s mask rules would change. In a Monday (May 17) news conference, state officials said keeping indoor mask rules for the next month “will give Californians time to prepare for this change” and may nudge people who were waiting to get a vaccine to do so before mid-June. Gov. Gavin Newsom has said the color-coded tiers in his “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” will go away in mid-June, which suggests most of the remaining restrictions on public life may be lifted. Some businesses are already facing challenges because of the divergence between the state’s mandate and federal guidance. Southern California counties, including San Bernardino, are currently following state rules regarding masks.
