Omicron spreads faster than any other COVID-19 variant. So it's important for you to mask up to limit the spread, regardless of vaccination status. N95, KN95 and KF94 masks offer the best fit and filtration. Don’t have these? Surgical masks or double masking with a surgical and fabric mask can also offer great protection. So there you go. Mask, vax and get boosted.

Learn more at covid19.ca.gov. This message is brought to you by the California Department of Public Health.

Here's some more tips to reduce the spread of COVID:

Wearing a mask is essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will help prevent both you and others from getting COVID-19. This is more important than ever with new, more easily transmitted variants of COVID-19 on the rise.

N95 offer the best protection.

KF94, KN95 and double masking with a fabric mask and surgical mask offer great protection.

A surgical mask or a fabric mask offer good protection too.

A surgical mask, also called a medical mask or a disposable mask, should have at least three layers and an adjustable nose bridge.

Fabric masks should be tight fitting with at least three layers of a tightly woven material.

An effective mask has both good fit and good filtration. A well fitted mask has no gaps between the face and mask, such as above the nose or at the sides. With gaps, air that has virus particles can easily leak in or out around the sides of the mask.

Good fit and filtration improve protection for others if you are infected and protection for you if you are exposed to an infected person.

Some situations require a higher level of protection (improved fit and/or improved filtration):

-In indoor settings with unvaccinated persons or with persons whose vaccination status is unknown.

-In indoor settings with poor ventilation.

-In close quarters with other people where social distancing is not possible (examples: riding a crowded bus, waiting in line at a crowded airport terminal).

-In any public place for people who are older or with medical conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID illness.

Californians can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and save lives by practicing the safety basics and following public health requirements – get fully vaccinated and boosted, wear a well-fitted mask in indoor public settings, get tested if exposed to the virus, have symptoms or traveling, and stay home when sick.

All Californians aged two and above must wear a mask in indoor public settings to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant. This mandate is in effect Dec. 15, 2021 – Feb. 15, 2022.

As more eligible Californians get vaccinated, we will continue to stop the spread and shrink the pool of people who are vulnerable to COVID-19 and its variants. Every dose matters.

By getting vaccinated you’re not only protecting yourself, you’re also protecting our youngest children who aren't yet eligible for the vaccine and those unable to be vaccinated. Getting vaccinated will help protect our sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and grandkids.

Bottom line: If you’re vaccinated, you are protected from severe disease and death. Don’t take a chance with your life. Get vaccinated.

Persons younger than two years old. Very young children must not wear a mask because of the risk of suffocation.

Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a mask. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a mask could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a mask without assistance.

Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.

Persons for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.

Dr. Wendy Walsh

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