No. One social bubble and one childcare or camp bubble only.
Technically, yes. But, it’s important to take precautions. Social bubbles are an excellent way to allow families across multiple households to come together once again. However, older adults are especially vulnerable to severe symptoms of COVID-19. Therefore, all members of a social bubble should continue to practice other protective measures of physical distancing, wearing face coverings, frequent hand washing, staying home when sick, and obeying isolation or quarantine guidelines if a member of the social bubble is diagnosed or exposed to COVID-19. People who are forming a bubble that includes people over 65 or those at high risk should consider a smaller-sized bubble with a very cautious approach to outside contact.
At this point, social bubble activities should be outdoors only.
Maybe. Office colleagues should be following the guidelines for a safe office space work environment. If you want to regularly socialize after work with your colleagues and add them to your bubble, you may do so, but you must keep the same bubble members for three weeks.
Depending on the activity that you and your social bubble are participating in, make sure you are in compliance with the California State guidelines for masks and face coverings. When in doubt, wear a face covering.
We suggest that you figure out what level of risk each social bubble member is comfortable with before agreeing to be in each other’s bubble. Make sure you are creating a social bubble with people you really trust so that everyone feels comfortable and safe.
MORE INFORMATION
- Social Bubble - Frequently Asked Questions
- Social Bubble overview (English - PDF) (Spanish - PDF)
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.
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.
The success and failure of the social bubble concept depends not only on your personal actions but also everybody else. It’s about solidarity. Keeping our bubbles small and consistent is really important to prevent an increase in the number of infections and a stress on our health care providers and hospitals. It’s best to be upfront about what levels of contact you expect to be having. Set ground rules together, since your idea of proper contact may not be the same as someone else in your bubble. Remember: their behavior impacts your health and vice versa.
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.
Social bubbles are meant for groups who want to socialize on a regular basis for a three-week period of time. You can’t keep adding new people to the bubble or swapping in others. It’s important to keep the bubble small and make sure everyone is on the same page about health guidelines and the protective actions (e.g., physically distance, wear face coverings, etc.) the group will take together.
I'm a nurse in the ER (or I am an essential worker). Can my family still be part of a social bubble?
Yes, but this is a higher-risk bubble. But please take your usual precautions with hand washing and sanitizing for the safety of your family and your social bubble friends. One tip: it’s important for people who create bubbles that include members at higher risk for serious illness to keep those bubbles as small as possible.
No. The total number of people for one bubble should be 12 people. Therefore, a family of four should only add eight people.
You can’t keep adding new people to the bubble or swapping in others. It’s important to keep the bubble small and make sure everyone is on the same page about health guidelines for the three-week timeframe. Therefore, you would have to wait until the end of the three-week period to add another family to the social bubble.
Three weeks relates to the incubation period for the COVID-19 virus.
No, all members of a household must be part of the same social bubble.