California's thankfully seeing a major dip in COVID cases and deaths, but roller coaster thrill-seekers are still required to follow serious safety guidelines ... rules some health care workers say are ridiculous.
Not only do Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Legoland all require riders to keep their masks on through the duration of the ride, they're also leaving entire rows empty and splitting up party sizes to ensure social distancing ... guidelines put in place by the state.
Dr. Ashish Jha -- the Dean of Brown University's School of Public Health -- appeared on "TMZ Live" Thursday and scoffed at the requirement to have empty cars on roller coaster rides. He says it simply makes no sense.
Dr. Jha also has a couple pointers for those with children who are concerned about their well-being since they're still unvaccinated ... and hopefully, it provides some peace of mind.
Of course, when it comes to roaming the park, there's an argument to be made that safety precautions are necessary because of unvaccinated people, but Dr. Jha says a roller coaster is a whole different animal. BTW, the CDC just came out with new guidelines ... people who have been vaccinated don't have to wear masks indoors or outdoors.
But, for now ... it looks like CA's biggest attractions for tourists and families looking to get back to normal are keeping pandemic rules firmly in place ... like it or not.