With the end of California’s COVID-19 state of emergency — which was proclaimed at the end of February — the California Department of Public Health has made several updates to COVID-19-related guidance that the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is also following.
Included among them is the removal of a mask mandate in high-risk indoor settings.
As of Monday, the state is no longer requiring masks to be worn in high-risk settings, such as health care facilities, long-term care settings and senior-care facilities, homeless shelters and other congregate living situations, and state and local correctional facilities and detention centers.
Instead, the new guidance allows these settings to develop their own plans for masking and other COVID-19 guidelines.
“The updated guidance is intended to provide information that each Californian should consider based on their unique circumstances,” the California Department of Public Health said.
“Health care facilities and other high-risk setting operators should develop and implement their own facility-specific plans based on their community, patient populations, and other facility considerations incorporating CDPH and CDC recommendations.”
The CDPH is also encouraging individuals to consider their county’s CDC COVID-19 community level when deciding whether to wear a mask or take other precautions.
For the past several months, Santa Barbara County has been in the low community level, for which the CDPH says people can wear a mask based on their own personal preference, and staff and patients or residents in high-risk settings should consider wearing a mask.
Many local health care facilities are also following the Public Health Department’s guidance and not requiring masks to be worn by patients or visitors.
Masks are now optional at both Cottage Health facilities and Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, among others, but Cottage spokesman Bob Behbehanian said masks will continue to be made available to everyone at its facilities.
“Use of masks is optional unless specifically required due to clinical symptoms, diagnosis and/or isolation care protocols,” Behbehanian said. “Patient safety continues to be priority.
“Patients arriving for care will be screened for symptoms. All others with symptoms of cold, flu or COVID are asked not to enter our facilities unless seeking our care.”
At Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, Maria Long, director of development and community awareness, said temperatures are still being taken daily in every building, and much of the staff will continue wearing masks to prevent the spread of the flu or any other airborne viruses going around.
Chief Medical Officer Susan Lawton also said that Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics is still screening patients over the phone before appointments and before patients enter clinic spaces.
“[We are] asking those with symptoms to have their appointments by telehealth, and/or to do two COVID tests 24 hours apart after symptoms onset before they will be seen in the office,” Lawton said. “They will also be asked to wear a mask if they have a cough.”
At Sansum Clinic, public information officer Jill Fonte said it is employing a “conditions-based policy,” in which masks are optional when the community COVID-19 transmission level is low, masks are strongly recommended if the community transmission rate is moderate, and masking is required if the community transmission level is high.
Masks will also be required at Sansum Clinic for patients, visitors or health care staff who have respiratory symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days.
“Regardless of our policy, any patient, visitor or staff member who wants to wear a mask should continue to do so,” Fonte said. “The expectation has been set with our staff that if a patient is concerned about being in close proximity and asks staff or providers to wear a mask, we will respect their wishes and wear a mask.”
Health care providers and Public Health officials have said that COVID-19 conditions and local indicators will continue to be monitored and protocols will be adjusted as needed or if the California Department of Public Health changes its recommendations.