Here is what it will take for Napa County to lift the current mask restrictions. In a joint statement released last week, Health officials from eight Bay Area counties and the City of Berkeley detailed the conditions for lifting those health restrictions in public spaces, which follows:
- The jurisdiction reaches the moderate (yellow) COVID-19 transmission tier, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and remains there for at least three weeks. Currently, Napa County is in the red tier — two tiers above yellow.
- COVID-19 hospitalizations in the jurisdiction are low and stable in the judgment of the health officer.
- One of the following applies:
- Some 80 percent of the jurisdiction’s total population is fully vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or
- Eight weeks have passed since a COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for emergency use by federal and state authorities for 5- to 11-year-olds.
Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County’s Public Health Officer, stressed the significance of wearing masks in addition to being vaccinated. “Public health interventions add layers of protection against COVID-19 and save lives. Even if the indoor masking mandate is lifted, we still strongly recommend wearing masks in indoor settings.”
On the other hand, state requirements will continue to be enforced even if local mask requirements are eliminated. Masks are still needed for those not completely immunized against COVID-19 and in locations like health care institutions, public transportation, adult and elder care facilities, and K-12 schools.
In short, wear your mask, get vaccinated, and adhere to recommended social distancing measures if you want a mask-free community. Keep up with the latest COVID status for Napa County by viewing the COVID Data Dashboard (about halfway down the homepage, updated every day at 1 pm).