Yes, all members of a household must be counted towards the same social bubble.

Yes. All individuals are required to wear a mask at a business, both indoor and outdoor businesses, whether as an employee or a customer. A store or business can prohibit you from entering their business if you do not have a face covering. However, if you have a medical condition or disability that prevents you from safely wearing a face covering, then you should speak with a store manager or employee about a reasonable accommodation to help you obtain the services you need without endangering your health or the health of other shoppers.

At this point, social bubble activities should be outdoors only.

Masks with a one-way valve (typically a raised plastic cylinder about the size of a quarter on the front or side of the mask) are designed for industrial use, such as construction or carpentry work, to protect the user from inhaling dust and certain particles encountered during sanding projects, sawing, sweeping, etc.  While these masks may protect the wearer from breathing particles, the valve also permits respiratory droplets to exit the mask, putting others nearby at risk. 

The purpose of both Marin's and the State of California's facial covering order is to prevent the spread of respiratory droplets from one wearer to another. COVID-19 can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and do not know that they are infected. Use of face coverings lowers the risk that an undiagnosed carrier will transmit it to others.

Wearing a mask with a valve makes it impossible to keep with the spirit of ‘your mask protects me, my mask protects you.'

Any mask that incorporates a one-way valve is not a proper Face Covering under Marin's Facial Covering Public Health Order and is not to be used to comply with the order's requirements.  A store or business can prohibit you from entering the building if you do not have a face covering or if you are wearing a mask with a valve.

Three weeks relates to the incubation period for the COVID-19 virus.

Yes. If you are in a public space, you are required to wear a face covering even if you do not have symptoms or feel sick. People with COVID-19 sometimes do not have a fever, cough, or other COVID-19 symptoms, but can unknowingly, spread the virus to others. Wearing a face covering is meant to protect other people in case you are infected and do not know it.

No, social bubbles can only be a maximum of 12 individuals.

The State of California's mandate of face coverings requires any person over 2 years of age to wear a face covering when in a public place, especially when:

• at indoor AND outdoor businesses – whether as an employee or a customer
• waiting in line to enter a store
• waiting for and using public transit
• when in a taxi or rideshare
• when seeking healthcare; or visiting a hospital, medical clinic, pharmacy, laboratory, dental office, veterinary clinic or blood bank
• walking outside and within 6 feet of others (about the length of a mattress)

Exceptions may be made for individuals with medical conditions or disabilities that prevent them from safely wearing a face covering. For more information, visit coronavirus.marinhhs.org/masks

Social bubbles are groups of people that must be consistent for three weeks, not interacting with others outside the bubble closer than Social Distancing rules require. After three weeks, people may regroup in new bubbles as long as they are healthy. There is no break required between bubble periods.

A face covering is a mask or cloth face covering that covers your nose and mouth. The face covering should allow for breathing without restriction. There is no requirement to wear a hospital grade mask or other specific type or brand of face covering. You may wear a homemade face covering, if it fits closely and covers your nose and mouth.

For more specific information on how to make or care for your face covering, visit https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/masks.

No. The total number of people for one bubble should be 12 people. Therefore, a family of four should only add eight people.

It is permissible for an employer to require employees be tested for COVID and share their results with the employer, as long as the test is “job-related and consistent with business necessity.”

It is important that employees be virus-free when they come to work. Requiring testing and requiring employees to share the results is permissible. The employer must keep the employee medical information confidential and must maintain it separately from the employee’s personnel file.

No, housekeepers do not need to be part of your social bubble. Currently, the rules state that you should not be at home while your housekeeper is working so you should not have direct contact with him/her. Also, social bubbles are meant for outdoor activities at this point.

No, not when used by themselves (without a mask).  The purpose of face shields is to protect the facial area and eyes, nose and mouth from splashes, sprays or splatters of body fluids and are usually used by health care workers, dental providers, and other emergency medical providers.

Face shields are generally not used alone, but in conjunction with other protective equipment like a mask.

Face shields do not hug the face like a mask. Face shields used without masks still allow the respiratory droplets to escape because the shields are open on the sides and bottom.  In the sense of “my mask protects you, your mask protects me” a face shield used alone does not stop the flow of respiratory droplets like wearing an appropriate fitting mask or face covering does. 

It depends on the household situation of those 11 friends. For example, if one of the friends belongs to a household of four people, then the entire household (all four people) would need to join your bubble, not just the individual friend. Remember, social bubble membership is exclusive. So, in the off chance you’re “bubbling” with 11 other single (no children, live alone) adults, all of you would need to remain committed to stick with that same group for a minimum of three weeks.