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. 

Cold, influenza and COVID-19 symptoms can be similar. Regardless, keeping the child home that is showing symptoms is a good way to reduce the spread of colds and flu within schools. The Parent Handbook ** is a useful tool to reference for any questions.  

As for others in your household, if your child is showing symptoms, it is important to evaluate your child’s symptoms and possible exposures to COVID-19 when deciding whether other children in your household should stay home.  Marin Public Health has developed a decision tree to guide parents, based on whether the child has a fever or if the child was exposed to someone with COVID-19. 

**Spanish available soon**

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.

An outdoor playground and/or recreational facility are:

• Fully outdoors
• Publicly accessible
• Free to enter and use
• Operated by a city, state, county or federal government
• Designed primarily to serve nearby residents within a half a mile
• Typically includes recreational equipment, like play structures, slides, swings, etc. intended to enrich children's physical health and development

This guidance does not apply to indoor playgrounds or family entertainment centers.