The Calif. Department of Public Health announced the end of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
Starting April 3, the vaccine requirement will no longer be effective for not only hospital workers, but adult care, direct care, correctional facilities and detention centers.
The mandate began in 2021, along with vaccination mandates for state employees and several public settings, as the COVID-19 pandemic saw its peak that winter.
Also ending on April 3 will be the mask mandate for Californians in what were previously considered "high risk" settings to contract COVID-19.
The mask mandate was previously enforced in hospitals, medical offices, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and emergency evacuation centers.
Both of these announcements came days after the state declared the end of its pandemic state of emergency. The state of emergency ran just shy of three years, when Gov. Gavin Newsom made the declaration in March 2020, which eventually led to a slew of safety mandates and regulations against the spread of COVID-19.
The federal state of emergency also expired this year, with the local L.A. County state of emergency deceleration slated to end on March 31.
"With recent decisions to end federal, state and local emergency orders related to COVID-19, Los Angeles County residents are reminded to continue taking sensible steps to protect themselves and others against severe illness and help keep hospitalization and death rates low," the Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health said in a notice. "During this new phase... (Public Health) is committed to ensuring easy access to free lifesaving preventative services, including testing, vaccinations and boosters and treatment."

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