On June 23,2023, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated its definition of COVID-19 Outbreak as well as its links and recommendations concerning masking.

Updates from the CDPH include:

• Recommendation to follow updated masking guidelines: Get the Most Out of Masking ​tips and resources guide.
• Updated definitions regarding isolation and quarantine for persons infected with or exposed to COVID-19 and outbreaks:
• ​”Close Contact” means the following:
  • ​ In indoor spaces^[i] 400,000 or fewer cubic feet per floor (such as home, clinic waiting room, airplane etc.), a close contact is defined as sharing the same indoor airspace for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three separate 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) during a confirmed case’s infectious period.
  • In large indoor spaces greater than 400,000 cubic feet per floor (such as open-floor-plan offices, warehouses, large retail stores, manufacturing, or food processing facilities), a close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the confirmed case for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the confirmed case’s infectious period.

• “Infectious Period“^[ii] is defined as:
  • ​​For symptomatic confirmed cases, 2 days before the confirmed case had any symptoms (symptom onset date is Day 0) through Days 5–10 after symptoms first appeared AND 24 hours have passed with no fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and symptoms have improved, OR
  • For asymptomatic confirmed cases, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date (collection date is Day 0) through Day 5 after positive specimen collection date for their first positive COVID-19 test.
• “Confirmed Case” is defined as:
  • A person who has received a positive result of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus as confirmed by a COVID-19 viral test or clinical diagnosis

• “Outbreak” is defined ​​as:
  • At least three COVID-19 cases during a 7-day period.

NOTE: The COVID-19 Infection Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations  have been updated by Cal/OSHA to reflect these recent CDPH updates, and remain in effect until February 3, 2025.

[i] Spaces that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls (e.g., offices, suites, rooms, waiting areas, bathrooms, or break or eating areas that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls) must be considered distinct indoor airspaces.

[ii] For the purposes of identifying close contacts and exposures, symptomatic and asymptomatic confirmed cases who end isolation in accordance with CDPH Isolation and Quarantine Guidance are no longer considered to be within their infectious period.