Health care workers, visitors and anyone else who isn’t a patient will be required to wear masks in patient care areas of certain Sonoma County health facilities starting next month, under a new county health order meant to blunt the spread of respiratory illness through the winter. The rule applies regardless of vaccination status and runs from Nov. 1 through March 31, 2027.
The order, confirmed by The Press Democrat, requires health care personnel and other non-patients to wear protective masks in patient areas of certain health care facilities. Per the newspaper’s report, covered settings include skilled nursing facilities, portions of long-term care facilities where nursing care is provided, acute and non-acute rehabilitation facilities, dialysis centers and infusion centers. The order takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2026, and remains in effect through March 31, 2027, according to the text of Order No. RVP26-01.
Patient care areas under the order include registration desks in lobbies, waiting rooms, examination rooms and therapy rooms, the Press Democrat’s report notes. The masking requirement is aimed at reducing respiratory-virus transmission during fall and winter and protecting people at the highest risk of severe illness, the same report states.
Why the Rule Targets These Facilities
The order’s focus on nursing homes, rehab centers and dialysis and infusion clinics reflects concerns about vulnerable patients and staff-patient interactions. The order does not specify the total number of facilities or people affected…