SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Department of Public Health updated the Health Order on Friday, July 24 to include individuals age 10 and older. Individuals should wear a mask whenever within six feet of each other, in enclosed spaces or working in food service.
The Department of Public Health recommends children under 2 should not wear masks as they may suffocate. Kids between 2 to 9 years old should receive encouragement to wear a face covering to protect themselves and others from transmitting or getting infected by COVID-19. People unable to wear a mask because of medical conditions should have a written exemption from a medical professional. Anyone with a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability that complicates them wearing a mask do not have to wear one.
Face coverings reduce the amount of aerosols that escape a person’s mouth when talking, and protect the wearer from droplets released by a person wearing no mask. As a rule, the Health Department’s website states “wear something to cover your face when you leave your home.”
To find more tips and precautions about staying safe from COVID-19 using face coverings visit the Health Department’s site here.