COVID-19 Update: L.A. County Begins Easing Masking Requirements

As Los Angeles County continues to experience reduced COVID-19 spread, the Department of Public Health announced it is modifying the Health Officer Order to allow establishments, businesses, and venues verifying vaccination status to offer optional masking for fully vaccinated individuals. The modified Health Officer Order is available at publichealth.lacounty.gov and will go into effect at 12:01am on Friday, February 25.

(The Health Officer Order was previously modified to recommend, but no longer require outdoor masking at outdoor mega events and outdoor spaces at TK-12 schools and childcare sites.)

Changes to the Health Officer Order will allow establishments, businesses, or venues two options for removing masking requirements for fully vaccinated individuals.

Option 1: Starting this Friday, establishments, businesses, or venues that want to allow fully vaccinated customers and workers to unmask while indoors must:

a) Verify that 100% of customers (5 and older) and workers prior to, or upon, entry to indoor spaces:

i) Provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, or

Provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 viral test result. Tests for customers must be taken within two days of entry if a PCR test, or one day if an antigen test. Employees will be allowed to submit a negative test result every three days.

Those who are not fully vaccinated or do not show proof of vaccination, are required to provide a negative test, and continue wearing a well-fitting mask while indoors (as required by the state), except when actively eating or drinking.

Option 2: Starting this Friday, establishments, businesses, or venues that want to allow their fully vaccinated customers to unmask indoors while all onsite workers remain masked, must:

a) Verify that 100% of customers (5 and older) prior to, or upon, entry to indoor spaces

i) Provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, or

ii) Provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 viral test result. Tests for customers must have been taken within two days of entry if a PCR test or one day if an antigen test.

b) Adhere to the following regarding customers and masking:

i) Fully vaccinated customers may be unmasked in the indoor setting.

ii) Customers that are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a well-fitting mask while indoors (as required by the state), except when actively eating or drinking.

Any individual showing proof of full vaccination prior to entering can still choose to wear a mask indoors.

For more information, please visit the Toolkit for Lifting of Indoor Masking Requirement for Fully Vaccinated Customers and Fully Vaccinated Workers.