On Oct. 21, Sonoma County health officials announced a plan to lift the county-wide indoor mask mandate for vaccinated groups of under 100 people. This new step forward comes ahead of a Bay Area-wide plan to do away with the mask mandate by the end of the year. As health officials come to the conclusion that COVID-19 will never be eradicated, Sonoma County is on track to begin adapting to this new reality. 

In the event that the mandate is lifted, individuals would no longer need to wear masks in indoor settings such as college classrooms, offices, religious gatherings, gyms, fitness centers, employee commuter vehicles, and other groups that meet regularly. The previous mask mandate guidelines would still apply to the unvaccinated and any gatherings with over 100 attendees.

With Sonoma County taking another step forward by lifting the mask mandate, there is room for an abundance of mixed emotions. Many students will likely be pleased to find that they may soon be able to go to class without having to remember to bring a mask, while many others will be worried about the future. It is still unknown how Sonoma State plans to implement this new rule and how they will be able to track whether their students are fully vaccinated or not. 

When asked about their thoughts on SSU possibly lifting the mask mandate, fourth year Communications student Jesus Martinez said, “I feel like this is a really good step moving forward because I know for a fact that there are many students that are annoyed with having to wear masks during class.”

While the kinks are still being worked out regarding a given venue’s ability to verify individual vaccination status, there are currently some rough guidelines being discussed. Sonoma County health officials announced that hosts and group organizers must maintain a list of all people present if they plan to lift their mask requirement. 

Businesses and organizations can continue requiring everyone to wear masks regardless of vaccination status if they choose to do so, as the county does not plan to force anyone to stop requiring masks. A press release put out by county health officials states, “Employers, hosts, and organizers must control access to the setting, and the setting cannot be open to the general public. It does not allow proof of a negative test as a substitute for proof of vaccination.”

With that being said, it is unclear if and when Sonoma State University will start to do away with the mask mandate for in-person classes. Since SSU is a part of the CSU system, they will have to follow guidelines released by the system as a whole, so a county health official’s word may not trump the word of the CSU. 

Regardless, health officials continue to urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible, regardless of guideline advancements or lack thereof.

To stay updated on SSU’s mask mandate and other COVID-19 news on campus, visit http://covid19.sonoma.edu.