CALIFORNIA—As of October 8, individuals getting rides within the state of California are expected to wear masks while utilizing Lyft and Uber.
“Wearing a mask is optional in most cities.* We know that everyone has different comfort levels when it comes to health safety. So you can keep wearing a mask if you’d like to when you ride,” reads a message via the Lyft website on safety.
“So you can keep wearing a mask if you’d like to when you ride or drive. We expect everyone to follow our Community Guidelines. That includes treating each other with respect, and not riding or driving if you have COVID-19 or any related symptoms.”
Local riders tell Canyon News they do have to wear masks which are not optional.
Governor Gavin Newsom was one of the first to institute mandates and was publicly scrutinized for his decision, when photographed in public without his mask at The French Laundry with a group of friends soon after instituting the mandates. He was photographed maskless at the ballpark. This was during the time when children were banned from recess at school and had to wear masks for eight hours a day while school was in session.
Mandates in California have been lifted. In April 2022, after another wave of COVID variants, Governor Newsom and the Los Angeles Department of Public Health reinstated mandates for all people traveling on public transportation including, buses, taxis, Uber, Lyft, and other ride-share options.
California is still dealing with mask mandates while traveling, whereas most parts in the United States do not have masking mandates.
Domestic flights stopped requiring masks on airplanes and in airports last summer. International flights still require masks.
Travelers from Warangal, India to Birmingham, Alabama told Canyon News their flight was 25 hours long, and they had to wear their masks the entire time.
