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Current Mask Guidelines and Recommendations
As COVID-19 does not follow the same pattern of seasonality, Marin residents need to prepare for COVID-19 exposure year-round, especially when disease activity is surging. Visit our COVID-19 surveillance website to stay up to date and to inform your personal prevention strategies.
Marin County Public Health also encourages basic disease prevention practices such as vaccination, staying home when sick, handwashing, and “strategic masking.”
Marin County Public Health Recommends:
- People in the community may make their own choices about wearing masks to protect against COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.
- High risk individuals should consider wearing a mask.
- Family and household members of persons at high risk should consider wearing a mask.
- People who work at sites with frequent exposures to respiratory viruses or where they serve individuals at high risk should consider wearing a mask.
- Individuals who spend prolonged times in crowded indoor settings should consider wearing a mask, especially when circulating respiratory viruses are very high.
- Wear a mask around others if you have respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, runny nose, and/or sore throat).
- If you've had a significant exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, wear a mask for 10 days.
- Stay up to date on local viral activity to inform your choices on personal protective measures (e.g., masking).
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should wear a mask according to Isolation guidelines.
Local Viral Activity
- Marin County Public Health monitors wastewater to stay informed about local viral activity. Currently you can see the circulation patterns of COVID-19, Flu, and RSV on Marin’s Public Health Dashboards.
When and Why to Wear a Mask
Get the most out of masking. Visit CDPH's When and Why to Wear a Mask for detailed information.
The Marin COVID Level is a tool to help our community decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest local data. This dashboard shows the amount of virus detected in six wastewater collection sites, which cover about 85% of the Marin population, and a composite measure of all sites combined.
The Marin COVID Level is displayed as “High”, “Medium”, or “Low”, based on levels of virus in all 6 sites combined and the number of people currently in Marin County hospitals who have tested positive for COVID-19. In addition to the County-wide COVID level, we provide an indicator of the trend in wastewater virus levels in each area to indicate if levels are increasing, decreasing, or staying stable.
Use the Marin COVID Level to understand which prevention behaviors to use and when (at all times or specific times) based upon your own risk for severe illness and those within your household.
- HIGH: Wearing a mask is recommended in indoors public settings.
- MEDIUM: Consider wearing a mask indoors in public settings.
- LOW: Mask based on personal preference.
Download your copy of "COVID Level Mask Guidance" Flyer (English and Spanish).
Masking is a Healthy Choice
- Wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, runny nose, and/or sore throat).
- Wear a mask if you have tested positive for COVID-19.
- Wear a mask if you had a close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Download your copy of "Masking is a Healthy Choice" Flyer in English and Spanish.
Workplace Standards
Employers and employees are subject to either the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations or the Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (PDF) standard and should consult those regulations for requirements.
More Information:
- Cal/OSHA Non-Emergency Standards: Effective February 3, 2023: