Who must wear a mask in California? What happens if you don’t? Answers to your questions

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has given the order for Californians to wear face masks to control the spread of coronavirus in the state.

The order comes as California has surpassed 157,000 COVID-19 cases, with more than 5,200 dead from the disease, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommend wearing cloth face masks in public in order to cut down on the spread of of COVID-19.

Several counties in California, including Los Angeles and counties in the Bay Area, already have mask orders in effect, but Newsom’s order makes it mandatory statewide.

Here’s what to know about the mask order:

When does the mask order take effect?

The order goes into effect immediately. It was issued Thursday, June 18.

Who has to wear a mask?

The list of who has to wear a mask and when is quite extensive. Here’s who the Department of Public Health says has to wear a mask:

▪ Anyone who is inside, or waiting in line to enter, any indoor public space.

▪ Anyone who is obtaining health care services. This includes going to the hospital, pharmacy, dentist, laboratory, blood bank or veterinary clinic.

▪ Anyone waiting for, or riding in, public transportation, as well as anyone riding in private transportation such as a taxi cab or Uber.

▪ Anyone at work who must engage with the public, work in a space where food is being packaged or prepared, work in or walk through a common area such as a hallway or elevator, or when in an enclosed area where other people are present and unable to physically distance.

▪ Anyone driving or operating public or private transportation when passengers are present. The state strongly recommends wearing a mask even when no passengers are present.

▪ Anyone who is outdoors when maintaining a physical distance of six feet from other people is not feasible.

What kind of mask do I have to wear?

The state guidelines call for wearing a cloth mask that covers the nose and mouth. If a mask can’t be obtained, you can fashion one out of household items such as T-shirts, towels, scarfs or bandanas.

Do children have to wear masks?

Children 3 and older must wear masks when in public as previously specified, unless they qualify for an exemption.

Who is exempt from the mask order?

Not everyone has to wear a mask in public; the state provides several exemptions, including:

▪ Anyone 2 years old or younger, as a mask can be a suffocating hazard.

▪ Anyone with a mental health or medical condition, or a disability, that prevents them from wearing a mask. This includes people for whom a mask would obstruct their breathing, who are unconscious or incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance.

▪ Anyone who is deaf or has hearing loss, or communicating with someone who is deaf or has hearing loss, where the ability to read lips would be impaired.

▪ Anyone for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to that person related to their work.

▪ Anyone who is getting services that involve the nose or face which would necessitate the temporary removal of the mask.

▪ Anyone seated at a restaurant, while they are eating or drinking, so long as they are at least six feet away from other people.

▪ Anyone engaging in outdoor recreation, such as walking, jogging or riding a bike.

▪ Anyone who is incarcerated. The state says that prisons and jails will have specific guidance on wearing masks for both inmates and staff.

How long is the order in effect?

The state has not provided an end date for the mask order.

What happens if I don’t wear a mask?

In the past, Gov. Newsom has relied primarily on people’s compliance with his orders. However, he does have several methods at his disposal to enforce the order, should he choose to do so.

Some counties, like Marin County, make it a misdemeanor to not wear a mask in public, punishable by a fine or imprisonment.

Newsom in the past also has used government agencies, such as the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, to crack down on establishments that defied his stay-at-home order, by pursuing administrative action that could result in those establishments losing their alcohol permit.

This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Who must wear a mask in California? What happens if you don’t? Answers to your questions."