Jimmy Kimmel pokes fun at Southern California over reluctance to ease coronavirus health and safety protocols

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Jimmy Kimmel took aim at California’s wait-and-see approach to federal guidelines easing coronavirus health and safety protocols.

The late-night host opened Tuesday’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" telecast with a jab at state legislators’ hesitance to lighten up restrictions and masks mandates while other states appear to be full steam ahead on adopting new federal regulations.

"Thank you for joining us here in sunny Southern California, where we’re still wearing masks, no matter what the CDC says," Kimmel said. "The state of California said they are not lifting the mask mandate in stores and public places until June 15th, which will be known as ‘Please Stop Screaming at the Assistant Manager Day’ all over town."

Making light of CDC guidelines regarding masking that has caused confusion throughout the state of California and those just passing through, Kimmel provided his own interpretation of the wordy mandates and broke it down for others who were left scratching their heads at the CDC’s explanation.

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"If you’re vaccinated and you’re indoors, you don’t need to wear a mask, but you do have to wear a mask until June 15th, at which point you don’t have to wear a mask unless you want to," he quipped. "That is, if you’re vaccinated…unless you’re on a plane, train or bus, in which case you both need to and have to wear a mask, whether you’re vaccinated or not."

Putting things in simpler terms, Kimmel elicited help from his longtime sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez to make sure the audience understood him loud and clear.

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"Just wear a f--king mask," Rodriguez said drawing applause. "That’s it."

California Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced that the state will maintain its mask mandate until June 15, at which point it will roll back most of its coronavirus limitations. 

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The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated its guidance last week to say that fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear face masks due to the incredibly low chance of infection. Dozens of states embraced the new guidance, but California is set to resist any changes for the time being. 

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Ghaly noted that the state had laid out a "Blueprint for a Safer Economy," which is set to expire June 15, marking the full reopening of the state in most cases. 

Fox News’ Peter Aitken contributed to this report.