What does California’s long-term COVID plan say about masks? Newsom announces plan

It looks like masks are here to stay or at least for the foreseeable future.

California’s new COVID-19 plan, “SMARTER,” is a seven-factor framework on how the state plans to manage the virus as its mask mandate loosens for vaccinated people.

Face coverings are part of that plan.

Masks with good filtration, when worn properly, are effective in mitigating COVID-19 transmission, the state’s response plan says.

California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the higher the quality of the mask, the more likely the wearer is at preventing an infection and keeping an environment safe.

“In California, we strongly recommend you to decide to keep your mask on when you’re in an indoor high risk places,” Ghaly said during Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Thursday afternoon news conference in San Bernardino. “And that’s going to continue until we see the signals that it’s okay to recommend it and then make it optional.”

The state is prepared to maintain a stockpile of 75 million high quality masks with the capability to distribute them as needed, according to the state plan.

According to California’s “SMARTER” plan, masks should be emphasized in high-risk settings where vulnerable people live or are cared for: hospitals, nursing homes and prisons.

As of Thursday, masks are still required in California indoor spaces for unvaccinated individuals, and for all individuals in long-term care facilities, schools and other high-risk environments.

In the long-term plan, face coverings are encouraged on public transportation and air travel and other crowded indoor public settings. Lastly, masks should be required during periods of high transmission levels or when a highly contagious variant emerges.

And depending on what type of face covering you wear, how often you wear it and how well it fits your face - it will still be effective as more people decide to remove theirs in indoor public settings.

“Masking is an important part of this. It’s not just having better fitted masks, better filtration, but also making sure that we are stocked and ready if we see a more virulent mutation of the virus in the future,” Newsom said.

What do I need to know about masking in California?

Here’s what you also need to know about navigating mask wearing in California, even after the current mandate, according to the state’s newest COVID-19 response plan:

• Be prepared to use face coverings as part of temporary, targeted and risk-based requirements.
• Prepare for the eventual change to universal school masking.
• If you’re exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you should consider getting tested and wearing a mask until you’re sure that you’re not infected.
• Public health officials will continue to track COVID-19 data and make changes to current masking guidance when appropriate.

Masks are emphasized for those who:

• Are unvaccinated
• Are at-risk for severe disease (elderly people or those with underlying medical conditions).
• Who have decreased immunity
• Have a known significant exposure to COVID-19

What is SMARTER?

The new California long-term COVID-19 plan follows the seven letters in the word “smarter.”

S - Shots (vaccines)

M - Masks

A - Awareness

R - Readiness

T - Testing

E - Education

R- Rx treatment

This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 4:14 PM.