March 4, 2022 Updated face mask guidance Los Angeles County has lifted the indoor face mask mandates beginning March 4, 2022 to align with California Department of Health orders. As of today, masking is strongly recommended, but no longer required in most indoor settings, including houses of worship. The Counties of Ventura and Santa Barbara had previously revised their health orders to be consistent with the State orders and now the cities of Pasadena and Long Beach have also aligned with state guidelines. The Archdiocesan Catholic Center (ACC) and regional offices will likewise be in alignment with this new policy. Locations may continue to require masking if they believe it is a necessary safeguard for their faith communities. No person can be prevented from wearing a mask as a condition of participation in an activity or entry into a business or other location. In workplace indoor settings where masking is recommended, but not required, employers are required to offer for voluntary use a well-fitting medical mask or respirator, such as an N95, KN95 or KF94, at no cost to their employees who work indoors and have contact with other workers, customers, or members of the public or in vehicles with more than one person. Masking will continue to be required for all persons, regardless of vaccination status, in higher transmission risk settings, like on public transit and in transportation hubs, all health care settings, correctional facilities and detention centers, emergency shelters, cooling and heating centers, homeless shelters, and long-term care settings and adult and senior care centers. After March 11, the universal masking requirement of K-12schools and childcare settings will terminate. Both CDPH and County Public Health continue to strongly recommend that individuals in these settings continue to mask while indoors until transmission rates are much lower. As new health orders are issued, we will continue to keep you updated. For additional COVID related questions, please contact the COVID Response Team at [email protected]