The following is a press release issued by the City of Fort Bragg:
Effective August 10, 2021, Dr. Andy Coren, the Mendocino County Health Officer, has mandated the wearing of face coverings in indoor public settings by all persons, regardless of vaccination status. The new Health Order issued on August 5, 2021, requires that face coverings be worn in all public settings, venues, gatherings, and workplaces, such as, but not limited to: offices, retail stores, restaurants and bars, theaters, family entertainment centers, schools, daycares, and State and local government offices serving the public.
Acceptable face coverings include a cloth mask (of 2 or more layers of tightly woven cloth), a hospital grade, or N95 or KN 95 mask. Exemptions from the mask mandate include: 1) persons working alone in a closed office or room; 2) persons actively eating or drinking; 3) persons swimming or showering in a fitness facility; 3) removal of mask while receiving care or services; 4) persons under two years old; 5) persons with a medical, mental health or disability condition that prevents wearing a mask; 6) hearing impaired individuals where ability to see the mouth is essential for communication; and 7) persons for whom wearing the mask would create a risk to the person related to their work.
Dr. Coren cites the spread of the Delta variant, which is highly transmissible in indoor settings, the stalled vaccination rate in Mendocino County, the significant increase in new daily cases of COVID-19, and the increased hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients as the basis for the new mask mandate order. Questions on the new order and masking mandate should be directed to the Mendocino County COVID-19 Call Center at (707) 472-2759 (M-F, 8:30am – 5pm).
