On October 7, 2021, Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Department of Public Health announced that the city will relax indoor face mask requirements in certain settings if hospitalization rates remain stable or decline. The change will take effect October 15, 2021. Read the announcement.

Under the relaxed restrictions, controlled settings of vaccinated individuals who regularly interact will be considered safe indoor settings where fully vaccinated individuals may remove their face coverings. Controlled settings include offices, gyms, employee commuter vehicles, religious gatherings, indoor college classes, and other organized gatherings of fewer than 100 individuals who meet regularly. The employer or host must ensure 100% vaccination, proper ventilation of the setting, no recent COVID-19 outbreaks, and no presence of guests or children under 12 before everyone can remove their masks.

Indoor masking will continue to be required in areas accessed by the wider public such as retail stores, bars, restaurants, and building common areas such as elevators and lobbies. Masking restrictions will also remain in effect where required under state or federal law, such as on public transportation and in hospitals, schools, jails, and homeless shelters.

Additionally, Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, plan to lift the indoor masking requirement in public spaces not subject to state or federal guidelines when their jurisdiction reaches the yellow COVID-19 transmission tier for a three-week time period, the hospitalizations remain low and stable, and 80% of the population is fully vaccinated. Read more details.

Employers and businesses operating in the city of San Francisco should contact experienced counsel if they have any questions about compliance with the latest mask requirements.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.