Face masks within 30 feet?!?! What the actual F is going on here?!

Coronavirus: Alameda County allows ‘social bubbles,’ expands face covering guidance

Alameda County announced new guidance Friday that allows for people to form ‘social bubbles’ of 12 or fewer

A new Alameda County health order released Friday further relaxes shelter-in-place restrictions and allows for people to form “social bubbles” of up to 12 individuals in outdoor spaces beginning Monday, June 8.

According to a press release issued by the county, a social bubble is defined as “a group of 12 or fewer people from different households.”

The guidance calls for social bubbles to be maintained for a minimum of three weeks, limits participation to one social bubble at a time and encourages members of a social bubble to comply with social distancing requirements and wear face coverings whenever feasible.

“As we move forward in Stage 2 of the reopening plan, we increase the level of exposure to infection among Alameda County residents,” Dr. Erica Pan, Health Officer for Alameda County, said in the release. “This is still a highly contagious virus and medically fragile residents and our disproportionally impacted communities are still at high risk for this disease.”

Alameda County appears to be the first county in California to suggest social bubbles for residents, although the idea isn’t entirely novel. New Zealand implemented a social bubble concept and has largely contained COVID-19 transmission in the country.

Pan also issued an order Friday expanding the requirements for wearing face coverings within the county. Beginning June 8, face coverings must be worn at all times by all members of the public, including outdoors while engaged in physical activities and within 30 feet of people outside of their household.

Children under 12 are not required to wear face coverings.

“A face covering helps prevent transmitting the virus that causes COVID-19,” Pan said. “Everyone should wear a face covering anytime they are outside the home and around other people. This helps decrease the exposure for all of us and is one of the few tools we have that will allow us to decrease risk as we gradually allow for more activities outside the home.”

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/05/coronavirus-alameda-county-allows-social-bubbles-expands-face-covering-guidance/