Masks

Last updated November 20, 2020 at 5:10 PM

New mask guidance issued

It’s now required that everyone in California must wear a mask or face covering when outside of their home, with limited exceptions. Read more in the expanded mask guidance.

On this page you will find:

How masks help stop the spread

Coronavirus spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, talks, or breathes within 6 feet of others. You may have the virus and spread it even if you feel well.

To prevent infection, you must cover your nose and mouth when outside your home. Wearing a mask is now required statewide. It can slow the spread of COVID-19 by limiting the release of virus into the air. Cloth masks or face coverings can reduce your exposure to infectious droplets through filtration. It also reinforces physical distancing, and shows you care about the health of others.

Mask wearing exceptions

Individuals are excepted from wearing a mask when:

In a car alone or solely with members of their own household.
Working in an office or in a room alone.
Actively eating or drinking. You should maintain a distance of at least six feet from those not in your household.
Outdoors and maintaining at least 6 feet of social distance from others not in their household. You must have a face covering with you at all times and must put it on if you are within 6 feet of others who are not in your household.
Getting a service to the nose or face for which temporary removal of the mask is necessary.
Your job requires you to wear respiratory protection.
You are specifically exempted from wearing face coverings by an Industry specific guidance.

Some people are exempt from wearing face coverings at all times:

Children younger than two years old. These very young children must not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation.
Those with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes those with rare medical conditions for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance.
Those who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired. In these cases, the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
Those for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.

Read the official mask guidance from the California Department of Public Health.

How to wear a mask

Don’t wear your mask under your nose or just on your chin. A mask is only effective if it covers both ways you breathe.

Wear a mask correctly and consistently for the best protection.

Choose a mask that covers your nose and mouth, goes under your chin, and fits snugly against the sides of your face
Wash your hands before putting on a mask
- Do not touch the mask when wearing it

The CDC has more information about how to wear masks.

Choosing a mask

Most people should wear a cloth mask or face covering.

Wear a mask with two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric.
Do not wear masks intended for healthcare workers, like an N95 respirator.
CDC does not recommend the use of face shields. They’re still evaluating them and their effectiveness is unknown.

Kinds of masks

There are many kinds of masks, but these are the 3 most common.

Cloth mask or face covering

This is cloth used to cover the nose and mouth, tied behind the head, or secured over the ears with elastic loops. It is made of cotton, silk, linen, or neoprene, and can be machine-made or hand-sewn. A homemade version can be improvised from a scarf or t-shirt. It should be made of tightly woven fabric.

Most people should wear a cloth mask. This is so there can be enough surgical masks and N95 respirator masks for medical personnel.

Wearing a cloth face covering doesn’t take the place of physical distancing. It is effective when combined with keeping a 6-foot distance from others.

Use and care: Wear a clean mask every time you go out. Wash in the laundry or by hand between uses. See more mask care instructions from the CDC.

Where to find: Many online sellers now offer masks in a variety of materials. You can also make your own. Read how in this cloth mask guidance from the CDC.

Surgical mask

This is a manufactured disposable mask, often used in surgery. Medical personnel wear them for protection against fluid splashes.

Some non-medical workers also wear surgical masks for disposability and fluid protection. They include those who work in:

Manufacturing
Food processing
Community/social services
Social work
In-home day care
Law enforcement/public safety
Schools

Don’t buy surgical masks for personal use. They are part of PPE needed by medical professionals.

Use and care: Start with a new mask every day. Replace and dispose of it according to your workplace guidelines.

Where to find: If you are in one of the above industries, your employer must provide masks at work. If you’re a frontline employer and need to order them for your workers, see how to get PPE.

N95 respirator mask

This is a mask with a respirator that blocks 95% of particles that are otherwise inhaled. Medical personnel need them the most, but they’re used by some workers in other industries.

Don’t buy N95 respirator masks for personal use. They are part of PPE needed by medical professionals.

Use and care: Start with a new mask every day. Replace and dispose of it according to your workplace guidelines.

Where to find: If an N95 respirator mask is required for your job, your employer must provide them at work. If you’re a frontline employer who needs them for your workers, see how to get PPE.

See this chart of the various types of masks (PDF) for more details.

Questions and answers

Should I wear a mask or face covering to protect against COVID-19?

Yes. You should wear face coverings whenever you are outside of your home, unless one of the exceptions described by the state applies to you. Face coverings help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Cloth masks can reduce your exposure to infectious droplets through filtration.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has released guidance for the use of face coverings.

The guidance reminds Californians that the best defense against COVID-19 continues to be:

Maintain six feet of physical distance from others
Wash hands frequently
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
Avoid being around people with COVID-19 symptoms

What is a face covering?

A face covering, also known as a cloth mask, is material that covers the nose and mouth. It can be secured to the head with ties or straps or simply wrapped around the lower face. It can be made of a variety of materials, such as cotton, silk, or linen. A face covering may be factory-made or sewn by hand, or can be improvised from household items such as scarfs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels.

How well do face coverings prevent spread of COVID-19?

Multi-layer cloth masks can both block up to 50-70% of fine droplets and particles, and limit the forward spread of those that are not captured. Their primary role is to reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when someone coughs, sneezes, sings, talks, or breathes. Cloth masks can also reduce your exposure to infectious droplets through filtration. Face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing, washing hands, and staying home when ill, but complements them.

How should I care for a cloth mask or face covering?

It’s a good idea to wash your face covering frequently, ideally after each use. Have a bag or bin to keep face coverings in until they can be laundered with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle. If you must re-wear your face covering before washing, wash your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face. Discard face coverings that:

No longer cover the nose and mouth
Have stretched out or damaged ties or straps
Cannot stay on the face
Have holes or tears in the fabric

See advice from the CDC on how to select, wear, and clean your mask.

Are face shields acceptable as face coverings to prevent spread of COVID-19?

Should I wear a mask on public transportation and at transportation hubs?

Yes. All passengers and staff must wear masks while on public transportation or at boarding points. This includes airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and ride-shares. Masks should also be worn at transportation hubs and other locations where people board, like airports, bus or ferry terminals, train stations, and seaports.

People must wear masks when traveling into, within, or out of the United States on public conveyances.
Transportation staff should refuse to board anyone not wearing a mask and require all people onboard, whether passengers or employees, to wear masks for the duration of travel, except:
- For brief periods while eating, drinking, or taking medication.
- If the person is unconscious, incapacitated, unable to be awakened, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
- When it’s necessary to temporarily remove the mask to verify one’s identity such as during Transportation Security Administration screening or when asked to do so by the ticket or gate agent or any law enforcement official.
- For children under the age of 2 years old.

Transportation staff should ensure that any person on the vehicle wears a mask when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel.

For more information, see:

Is there any proof that masks are effective in preventing coronavirus infection?

Yes. The CDC has collected evidence on the effectiveness of masks.

Masks create a barrier that helps prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the wearer coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Using a mask is important in settings where people are close to each other or where it’s difficult to keep physical distance from others.