Health Orders
Please also refer to COVID-19 guidance and health orders issued by the State of California.
Requiring Staff in Skilled Nursing Facilities to Wear Masks
Date: March 28, 2023
Staff in local skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are required to wear a well-fitted mask covering the mouth and nose. The order also applies to paramedics, emergency medical technicians, contractors and vendors when they enter these facilities in Contra Costa. It’s strongly recommended that SNF personnel use higher-quality masks. Examples of higher-quality masks include but are not necessarily limited to KN95, KF94, and N95 respirators. Click for more guidance about well-fitted masks.
The order does not apply to SNF patients or visitors seeing their loved ones. The order does not apply to hospitals, healthcare clinics, assisted living facilities, residential-care facilities or board-and-care homes. Masking is highly recommended in these settings and facilities can choose to enforce their own masking policies.
Legal authority for County Health Officer orders addressing the COVID-19 pandemic is in the California Health and Safety Code, which grants broad powers to the Health Officer to protect public health during local emergencies and prevent the spread of contagious diseases. The statutes include Health and Safety Code sections 101040 and 120175. As actions taken under this statutory authority, Health Officer orders are measures taken to preserve the public health, which is an exercise of the police power contained in the California Constitution.