Current safety measures
Last updated August 15, 2022 at 3:25 PM
Thanks to millions of vaccinations, California’s economy is open. But COVID-19 has not gone away. To safely go about our daily lives, we need to keep taking steps to prevent the spread.
On this page:
What to do now
Use these tools to stay safe and protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Vaccinations
Get your kids and yourself vaccinated and boosted. It’s our best tool to end the pandemic. Vaccination is safe, effective, and free.
Masks
Wear a mask to keep from spreading the virus to those who are vulnerable. This includes those with weak immune systems, those who are pregnant, and the unvaccinated.
Testing
Get tested for COVID-19 if you may have been exposed. It’s available and confidential for everyone in California.
Quarantine and isolation
Find out how long to stay home and avoid others if you test positive for COVID-19. Learn how to care for yourself and others if you are exposed.
Exposure notifications
Turn on exposure notifications in your Apple or Android phone. CA Notify can then alert you if you’ve been near someone who tested positive.
Education and childcare
Find out how we’re fighting COVID-19 at K-12 schools and childcare centers. Get rules and recommendations for masking, vaccinations, and testing.
Workplace safety
Employers are responsible for keeping the work environment safe. See the state’s rules and standards on how your employer can protect you and your colleagues.
Mega-events
Mega-events are indoor events with 1,000 or more people and outdoor events with 10,000 or more people. Read the safety recommendations for each.
Travel
Keep California healthy and our communities open by following CDC travel guidelines.
Do’s and don’ts for daily life
Protect yourself and others by keeping these common-sense safety steps in mind.
Do
- Get vaccinated and boosted
- Wear a mask where required
- Turn on exposure notifications on your phone
- Get tested and stay home if you’re sick
- Isolate if you test positive
- Get tested if required by your workplace
- Wear a mask to protect the vulnerable
Don’t
- Lose your proof of vaccination
- Think you can’t get the virus or pass it on because you feel well
- Assume everyone is vaccinated
- Expect all COVID-19 rules everywhere to be lifted
- Attend large events if you’re sick
- Travel if you’re sick
Read the CDC’s How to Protect Yourself and Others and CDPH’s What to Do If You’re Exposed and What to Do If You Test Positive.
SMARTER Plan
The SMARTER Plan will guide California’s response to future phases of COVID-19. The plan includes:
- What we’ve already done
- How our experiences inform our future approach
- How we’re preparing for the future
- How we’re managing risk to keep people safe
Read the full SMARTER Plan.
Past restrictions
Reopening California
California has moved Beyond the Blueprint to safely and fully reopen the economy.
As of June 15, 2021, the Governor terminated the executive orders that put into place the Stay Home Order and the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. He also phased out the vast majority of executive actions put in place since March 2020 as part of the pandemic response, leaving a subset of provisions that facilitate the ongoing recovery.
The public health order effective June 15, 2021 supersedes all prior health orders. The order has limited restrictions, only related to masking and mega-events, as well as settings serving children and youth.
Restrictions that ended on June 15, 2021 include:
- Physical distancing
- Capacity limits on businesses
- County tier system
Read the Governor’s orders N-07-21 and N-08-21. Find details in CDPH’s Beyond the Blueprint for Industry and Business Sectors and the Beyond the Blueprint Questions and Answers.