San Francisco to relax some face mask requirements

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San Francisco plans to lift the requirements for indoor face masks in limited environments.

City officials said on Thursday that as long as new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations remain stable or decrease, some mask requirements will be relaxed on October 15 in various settings, including offices, gyms and centers. fitness, religious gatherings and college classes. The new rules require everyone in the frame to be vaccinated and the capacity not to exceed 100 people.

California has the lowest number of new Covid-19 cases per 100 people in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In San Francisco, the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care or acute care units in hospitals now stands at 65, according to the city’s health department. This is a drop from the recent high of 123 in mid-August and 266 in January, during a deadly winter wave. Confirmed cases are also few. The seven-day average of newly reported cases is 79, up from 309 on Aug. 3, according to city data.

Immunization rates in the city are among the highest in the country. More than 90% of adults over 65 are fully immunized and 88% of San Francisco residents aged 12 and over have received at least one dose, according to city data. In the United States, 83.7% of seniors are fully vaccinated and 76.1% of those 12 and older have received at least one dose, according to the CDC.

“I am delighted that we have again come to a place where we can start to relax mask requirements, which is a direct result of the fact that we have one of the highest vaccination rates in the country,” our cases have declined and our residents have done their part to keep them and those around them safe, ”the Mayor of London Breed said on Thursday.

For the mask’s mandate to be lifted in mid-October, the employer or host of a rally or executive must ensure good ventilation and have no recent outbreaks of Covid-19, according to the city . Children under 12 cannot be present. No Covid-19 vaccine has been authorized for use among this age group. Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE on Thursday asked U.S. health officials to give the green light to their vaccine for children aged 5 to 11.

Indoor masking rules remain in effect for most other public places, including retail stores and other common areas like elevators, lobbies, and building washrooms. Interior masking also continues to apply in bars and restaurants, except when eating or drinking. Proof of vaccination is required at these sites.

“Vaccines continue to be our way out of the pandemic, but the masks have eased the push from the Delta and protected our life-saving hospital capacity, while allowing businesses to stay open and children to return to school. “Said Dr Susan, head of health in San Francisco. Philippe.

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