Current safety measures
Last updated March 30, 2023 at 12:57 PM
California’s COVID-19 State of Emergency is over, 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.
Treatment
Medications to treat COVID-19 are free, widely available, and effective for stopping COVID-19 illness from getting serious.
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
- Isolate if you test positive. If you have symptoms, talk to your doctor about treatment.
- Consider wearing a mask when levels of COVID-19 infections are higher
- Turn on exposure notifications on your phone
- Get tested and stay home if you’re sick
- 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
COVID-19 Disease Control & Prevention
California has moved Beyond the Blueprint to safely and fully reopen the economy.
As of February 28, 2023, the Governor terminated the state’s COVID-19 State of Emergency. He also phased out the executive actions put in place since March 2020 as part of the pandemic response.
The public health order effective March 13, 2023, supersedes all prior health orders. The order provides prevention and mitigation strategies for slowing the spread of COVID-19 in homes, workplaces, and communities.
Read the Governor’s news release and find details in CDPH’s news release.