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"California health officials on Monday announced they will lift the mask mandate for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 when the state is expected to reopen on June 15. But you shouldn’t plan to throw away your masks altogether. After the state relaxes its mandate, you’re still likely to encounter plenty of scenarios where you’ll need a face covering. Here’s what you need to know about what state officials decided, and how that impacts the Bay Area: What did state officials decide Monday regarding masks? State health officials on Monday announced they will lift the indoor mask mandate for fully vaccinated people on June 15, the same date that the state is expected to reopen its economy. That reopening, which hinges on continued “stable and low” COVID-19 hospitalization and easy availability of vaccines, is on track. California considers people fully vaccinated two weeks after they have received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or the Johnson & Johnson one-dose shot. Why did state officials make this decision? State officials made their call based on recommendations issued last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that said fully vaccinated people don’t need to don a mask in most outdoor and indoor settings. The CDC released its guidance Thursday based on data that shows vaccines are nearly 100% effective at preventing hospitalization or death and up to 95% effective at preventing illness. Data also shows that vaccines appear to be good at stopping transmission, and are effective against known variants. (RELATED: Mask or no mask, what's the risk that fully vaccinated people can spread COVID?) So why the delay in California? State health chief Dr. Mark Ghaly cited several reasons for the four-week delay in implementing the CDC recomendations. First, he said, it will give still-unvaccinated Californians time to complete their inoculations. Second, it will give the state time to figure out how to verify people’s vaccination status when they enter public places. How does the decision change things in the Bay Area? It doesn’t — yet. Until June 15, fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear a mask outdoors except in crowded settings. But masks are still required in indoor settings beyond your own home. Exceptions include a non-workplace setting where everyone is vaccinated or no more than one unvaccinated household is present, if all members are at a low risk of severe complications from COVID-19. So as of June 15, I won’t need to wear a mask indoors if I’m fully vaccinated in the Bay Area? Not necessarily. Individual counties and businesses can still require face masks and may make their own decisions on whether to follow the state’s guidance or keep their mask rules — or relax their guidelines later. And face coverings will be required in some other settings (read on). Will I have to wear a mask at work? Privately owned businesses can still require masks. Different employers may have different health and safety rules. What about schools? State officials said masks will be required at California public schools until the end of 2021. Any other places where I’ll have to keep wearing a mask? The Transportation Security Administration still requires masks in transportation hubs including airports and stations, as well as on public transportation including planes, trains and buses. And masks will continue to be required in some public spaces like hospitals, nursing homes, jails and prisons, and homeless shelters, under CDC guidelines. What if a retailer has said fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear a mask? Although some major national retailers have dropped their mask policies for fully vaccinated customers, their new changes don’t apply to stores in states and counties where masks are still required. So, as of Monday, you still need to wear a mask wherever you shop in the Bay Area until your county’s public health department decides otherwise. When that time comes, for businesses that have relaxed their policies, you will likely see a sign outside that says masks are no longer required for customers who are fully vaccinated. For future reference, here are the major stores that have eased their rules outside California: • Target: The company on Monday announced face coverings are no longer required for fully vaccinated customers and staff. “Face coverings will continue to be strongly recommended for guests and team members who are not fully vaccinated and we’ll continue our increased safety and cleaning measures, including social distancing, throughout our stores,” the company said in a news release. • CVS: Masks will not be required for fully vaccinated customers. Employees will still be required to wear a mask while working and individuals who are not fully vaccinated “are asked to continue wearing face coverings,” CVS announced Monday. • Costco: Fully vaccinated customers will not be required to wear a mask or face shield. Guests will not be required to show proof of vaccination, “but we ask for members’ responsible and respectful cooperation with this revised policy,” the company announced last week. • Trader Joe’s: Trader Joe’s was one of the first major retailers to drop its mask requirement for fully vaccinated customers. Proof of vaccination is not required, and employees are still required to wear a mask. • Walmart: Fully vaccinated customers can shop without a mask. But non-vaccinated customers are still being asked to wear one in stores. “We will update the signage in our facilities to reflect this,” the company said in a news release. • Starbucks: Starting Monday, face coverings are optional for fully vaccinated customers. Jessica Flores is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @jesssmflores"
<https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Confused-about-mask-rules-in-the-Bay-Area-16183423.php>