While Tuesday marked the first day California lifted most of its restrictions, like social distancing, capacity limits, mask-wearing and more, not all places are saying goodbye to them.
Places like health care facilities are still requiring people to wear a mask when entering according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robertson at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria.
Hospitals across the Central Coast are seeing little to no change after the state reopened on Tuesday.
Even though mandatory social distancing, capacity limits and mask restrictions were lifted, with guidance from the California Department of Health and Cal OSHA, health care facilities will still impose those restrictions for the best interest of patients and staff.
"Right now we still feel like it's best in these clinical environments that we continue with masking in order to prevent any unnecessary transmission of infection,” Dr. Roberson said.
There will, however, be some changes for employees in places like Cottage Health, Dignity Health and Lompoc Valley Medical Center.
Staff who are vaccinated will no longer have to do weekly COVID-19 screenings, and vaccinated patients who are going into any kind of surgery no longer have to get tested for COVID.
"Goes through our E.R. and thorough admission and they are fully vaccinated and have that two week period since their last shot, they no longer have to have that screening test, as well and any surgical patient who's been vaccinated no longer has to have the swab test as well,” said LVMC Chief Nursing Officer, Yvette Cope.
Patients will also be able to have a maximum of two visitors daily.
"When the visitor is in the hospital they need to be wearing masks at all times and they have to even within the patient room. No meals allowed in the room either, they must have their meal outside and come back,” said Cottage Health Infectious Disease Physician, David Fisk.
Health officials add the pandemic is not over and now is not a time to let your guard down.
As for mask-wearing at health care facilities, they do not expect that to stop anytime soon.
"I certainly think that masking in clinical environments, like hospitals and doctors offices, will probably continue for the near future. Flu season will be here before we know it and so we will have a good idea of what we will need to be doing here over the next several months,” Dr. Robertson said.
Those who do enter health care facilities will still be screened at the door like they did before the reopening, including things like temperature checks and checking for COVID-like symptoms.
Masks are also still required in places like public transportation, schools, homeless shelters and state and local correctional facilities.
