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| (Taken 9.13.2020) |
I am no legal scholar, I'm not a politician, and I'm not super smart right now after a night in the Speakeasy, but I was checking my email on a thing (Cold War Kids are playing at Observatory North Park on September 24 and tickets go on presale from 10am-10pm on Thursday with either the password ENCORE or 91X) and I had this email from Cal/OSHA. I'm going to publish it as it was sent, with a couple bold types from me, because there's this crazy thing about the "confusion" between guidelines from the CDC, CDPH (California Dept. of Public Health) and Cal/OSHA, but to me it hasn't really ever been confusing at all: the CDC give guidance for individual people who want to interact with the world. OSHA's job is to concern themselves with the health and safety of workers in all sectors in a very general way. It seems obvious that if I walk into a taco shop, order my food, and wait for 10 or 20 minutes that my situation is far different from the line cook in the back who is preparing my food and everyone else's for 8, 10, or 12 hours on end, elbow to elbow with their coworkers and the airborne grossness of all the customers who walk in all day.
Anyway, I didn't watch this meeting but what I'm reading is that too many employers were saying it was too hard to mandate or pressure vaccinations, and the others were crying about having to get proof of vaccination from their workers, so Cal/OSHA just said, "Fuck it! If it's too hard, we'll make it easy. WORKERS need to continue to wear masks regardless of their vaccination status." The CDC guidelines, as I understand them, are for individuals making choices about how to navigate the world. They didn't address workers or industries or sectors, and California is saying that we're making it very clear. If you go shopping or to a bar or a restaurant or travel, your exposure is limited. If you are WORKING in those industries, you have far more chances of virus, wildly or breakthrough, and your companies can either be liable or give you the time you need off to get vaccinated.
Anyway, I didn't watch this meeting but what I'm reading is that too many employers were saying it was too hard to mandate or pressure vaccinations, and the others were crying about having to get proof of vaccination from their workers, so Cal/OSHA just said, "Fuck it! If it's too hard, we'll make it easy. WORKERS need to continue to wear masks regardless of their vaccination status." The CDC guidelines, as I understand them, are for individuals making choices about how to navigate the world. They didn't address workers or industries or sectors, and California is saying that we're making it very clear. If you go shopping or to a bar or a restaurant or travel, your exposure is limited. If you are WORKING in those industries, you have far more chances of virus, wildly or breakthrough, and your companies can either be liable or give you the time you need off to get vaccinated.
It's science but I kinda also think it is a little more stick than carrot and for the rest of us, I am totally okay for it. I guess final note: employers may continue mask regulations; most won't, but it's up to you if you even want any exposure, despite vax status. I don't want my underage unvaccinated nieces carrying a variant to my dad who got J&J and has no real other protection. NBC San Diego interviewed a man who was vaccinated and tested positive with an asymptomatic breakthrough, but is hoping his unvaxxed friend doesn't die after being intubated. Are these really choices?
Anyway, I'm interested in the media response to the Cal/OSHA thing. It won't be pretty but I'm here for it. Full release after the jump.
Stay safe out there.
