'Wear A Mask' Campaign Launched In Response To California Coronavirus Surge

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced the launch of a "Wear A Mask" public awareness campaign encouraging Californians to wear facial coverings as the state experiences a continued spike in coronavirus cases.

The announcement comes just ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend and is expected to last through the end of the year.

Newsom said broadcast and radio PSAs are being distributed through local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, Univision, Telemundo, Ethnic Media Services, and iHeart Media affiliates. The campaign will also feature billboards that are visible statewide in collaboration with ClearChannel, Lamar, VisCom Outdoor, iKahan Media, and LED Truck Media. Californians with internet access will also see shareable social media content informing of proper mask-wearing techniques.

"We all have a responsibility to slow the spread. It is imperative – and required – that Californians protect each other by wearing masks and practicing physical distancing when in public so we can fully reopen our economy," Newsom said. "We all need to stand up, be leaders, show we care and get this done."

The campaign kicked off Thursday in English and Spanish with expansion into other languages coming over the course of July, Newsom said, with seven languages in total.