While Gov. Gavin Newsom said the mask mandate would be lifted on June 15, L.A. Public Health listed multiple situations where masks would still be necessary, including work spaces.

L.A. Public Health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer addressed the future of mask usage, saying she believes the state will make it “very clear” that masks will still need to be used by unvaccinated people, especially indoors and in crowded spaces.

“Cal/OSHA, in what they published, is really clear that workers are still going to be protected at the workplace,” Ferrer said Wednesday. “Unless everyone in the room is fully vaccinated, masks are going to still be required.”

The latest mask guidance was debated by Cal/OSHA Thursday, with the board going back and forth on proposed rules requiring all workers to wear masks if one person is not vaccinated.

As of Thursday, it appears the Cal/OSHA board will require all employees wear masks if one employee is not vaccinated. If the entire work place is vaccinated, they will be allowed to work maskless.

“I do want to point out that the CDC has been very clear that unvaccinated people… including children under the age of 12 need to continue to wear their masks when they’re around other people not in their household… particularly paying attention to mask wearing when you’re indoors,” Ferrer said. “I would imagine that the state is going to align with that by making it clear that if you’re not vaccinated, you need to keep protecting yourself and protecting other people who are not vaccinated by wearing that mask and keeping your distance when you’re in crowded situations… particularly indoors.”

On June 2, California Dept. of Public Health released a flyer titled, “What Will California Look Like After June 15?” where masks would still be required at “mega events.”

An indoor mega event would be considered a venue holding more than 5,000 people and would also require attendees to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.

An outdoor mega event would be considered more than 10,000 people and would not require proof of vaccination or test, but is “recommended.”

Aside from the mask regulations in the specific instances above, June 15 will see businesses operate at full capacity, without mandated physical distancing measures and in most situations, no masks mandates for patrons.

On Wednesday, Ferrer also announced that L.A. County needed 1.1 million first doses to cover 80% of adults 16 or older — a checkpoint the county has labeled  in the past as “community immunity.” Ferrer believes the COVID-19 vaccination goal can be reached by late August if the county continues its pace of 100,000 daily vaccinations.

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