With a new surge of COVID-19 driving up case rates and hospitalizations across the Bay Area, Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) recommends that everyone consider wearing face coverings whenever they enter indoor public spaces, regardless of their vaccination status.

This extra precaution is not a requirement, but a healthy choice that Contra Costa and most other Bay Area counties endorse, including Alameda, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Sonoma and the City of Berkeley.

New, daily COVID-19 cases in Contra Costa have risen steadily since the statewide June 15 reopening, and the appearance of the highly infectious delta variant. The average daily number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Contra Costa has grown 50% in the last 30 days.

While COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, CCHS recommends the extra protection that a face covering provides when you visit places such as grocery and retail stores and movie theaters, and we also encourage businesses to consider universal masking requirements for customers entering their indoor spaces.

Getting vaccinated is still the best way to protect ourselves – our most recent data show the case rate among residents who are not fully vaccinated is about 17 times higher than the case rate for vaccinated residents. Stay healthy and safe this summer with a fast, free COVID-19 vaccination!

It’s easy to get vaccinated and free. Check the Health Service’s webpage, for details.