State Announces Changes to COVID-19 Isolation and Masking Policies

Press Release

(Woodland, CA) - The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has announced changes to COVID-19 recommendations and requirements, with varying effective dates. Yolo County previously rescinded all local orders related to COVID-19 and aligns with the updated CDPH guidance.

Isolation: As of March 13, persons with COVID-19 infection are no longer asked to test negative before leaving isolation and returning to normal activities. Instead, persons with COVID-19 can return to normal activity after five days of isolation if their symptoms have improved and they have not had a fever for 24 hours. This change applies to the general public; more stringent requirements are in place in healthcare and long-term care settings. Persons with COVID-19 should wear a mask in public for 10 days after their infection began.

Masking: As of April 3, masking will no longer be required of all persons in healthcare, correctional and shelter settings. Instead, masking will be recommended in these settings based on COVID-19 Community Levels published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with masking of all staff, patients and visitors strongly recommended in High, recommended in Medium and for consideration in Low Community Levels. Yolo County is currently in the Low COVID-19 Community Level. Facilities are encouraged to develop their own policies related to masking.

Vaccination: As of April 3, CDPH will no longer require healthcare and adult care workers to be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. However, the federal government continues to require healthcare workers in many settings to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with a primary series.

"With effective treatments, vaccines and tests widely available for COVID-19, it is appropriate to loosen previous requirements and bring our response to COVID-19 in line with our response to other infectious diseases," said Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson. "Shifting from masking requirements to masking recommendations in healthcare settings is an important step into a post-emergency world. If the COVID-19 situation changes, we will revisit masking and other policies as needed."

While masking will no longer be required of all persons in healthcare settings, protective policies and upgraded ventilation systems remain in place. Prior to the pandemic, healthcare settings had policies and procedures in place to provide masks to persons with respiratory illness or weakened immune systems, and for staff to wear masks around patients with respiratory illness. These policies will be reinstated. In addition, during flu season, workers in healthcare settings in Yolo County are required to wear a mask if they aren't vaccinated against influenza. This requirement continues through April 30 of this year.

Masking continues to be recommended for everyone two years and older in indoor settings in Yolo County based on ongoing circulation of multiple respiratory viruses. Wearing a high-quality mask like an N95, KN95 or KF94 that fits your face well provides protection against COVID-19 and other diseases that spread through the air. For more information on masking, visit www.yolocounty.org/masks.