I know of 2 people who contracted Covid in a hospital ER. One was a couple of weeks after her first shot (in March), the other was unvaccinated but immunocompromised from colitis (in January). Both were masked the entire time. ERs, especially in cities, are difficult places to manage. Luckily, neither got very sick from it.
In Colorado, there are a few places that still require masks.
- All health care places, even pharmacies within the grocery store,
2.all places licensed by the state cosmetology board which include salons, barbers and even the dog groomer who came to my house - I think schools require mask and day cares.
Some places have rules of their own. When we were still playing hockey , the NHL required masks inside.
With COVID-19 restrictions going away and most people either vaccinated or voluntarily unvaccinated, medically vulnerable people may want to prioritize mask choice for self-protection rather than protecting others. So those N95 masks with outlet valves that were frowned upon before should be considered now for general use. (When going into places that still want masks to help protect others like health care facilities, put a surgical-mask-material mask over the valve.)
7 Likes
California changed its mask rules on 6/15: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Face-Coverings-QA.aspx
Summary is that, for most indoor public settings, masks are only required for unvaccinated people. However, businesses and venue operators can choose between honor system, checking vaccination, or requiring masks for everyone. But signage on restaurants, etc. so far does not seem to be any different from before in terms of prominently indicating whether the business wants everyone or only unvaccinated people to be masked.
I was in my salon today and the owner is trying to figure out what to do. She and her one other stylist were masked. They are both vaccinated. There were only a couple of other clients, the windows were open with a nice breeze, and the chairs were far apart. The owner was asking her employee what she knew about other salons and barber shops in the area. They discussed another shopâs sign that said masks were required for clients unless fully vaccinated, and were leaning toward posting the same. But Iâm sure they will go by the honor system instead of asking for proof.
OP here. Our shop decided to make masks optional. It is so weird around here, most stores have signs that say if you are fully vaccinated you donât need to mask. I see about 50% mask wearing.
We just donât want to deal with the cranks who give us a hard time about masks, especially when our countyâs vaccination rate is pretty high. The employee with the compromised child will probably continue to mask up. I myself always consider the possibility that someone else in the store, restaurant, etc is Covid positive and I mask up if I feel itâs necessary.
1 Like
i will say, itâs that honor system mask ask that turned my reluctance for my 15 yr old. 5/6 of us are vaccinated, but i was hesitant about her for many reason. BUT - i didnt want her to lie about it; and she wasnt going to wear a mask out and about without me while with friends â so hence the vaccine. the mask law tripped the trigger for us.
in our midwest city, there are very few masks being worn. very few cases too! it feels here like it is over for the most part.
Day three for California so we are still getting used to it. Starbucks had a sign that if you were vaccinated you donât need a mask, so I didnât wear one, same with Target, although it is required at the pharmacy counter, Trader Joeâs has removed all signs about masks. Workers are still required to wear masks until CalOsha meets (either today or tomorrow). 20% of people at Starbucks were not masked, 50% at Target and 30% at Trader Joeâs. I am happy to wear a mask if required, but so happy not to have to.
2 Likes
Iâm in Durham NC. Our hotel is requiring masks in all public spaces, but I have seen a couple of people not complying. We were one of those when we checked in-forgot to wear one in, but the registration clerk said it was ok. We have tried to remember them since then.
Went to a restaurant last night with D1 and her DH. Wore masks to our table and when visiting the restroom.
Went to the Marshallâs near my house (San Diego) yesterday and the sign says fully vaccinated people do not need masks. I would say 50% of people in the store were not wearing masks.
D1 and friends (all fully vaccinated) went to the San Diego Padres game last night. It was the first game with a full capacity crowd allowed. I have to say it made me happy to see 40K fans enjoying the game at Petco Park! Life is feeling more normal now.
3 Likes
Greater Seattle area here. We are 70% plus vaccinated here as of the beginning of the week, so ten more days until all mask âstrong encouragementsâ are lifted and every business can operate at full capacity. Technically, masks are not required but strongly recommend for fully vaccinated. Saw a few cashiers at TJ without masks, but customers were all masked. 
Our Mariners are opening up every seat for sale as of July 2. Maybe there will be demand â they are winning at least some games this year. 
1 Like
I am in OC, CA. Today I went to Costco. Maybe 60% or more not masked. Checking out a checker came out unmasked and I overheard her talk to my checker and she told him if you sign a paper in the office stating you are vaccinated etc⊠you can go without a mask.
I went to Costco today. It was fairly busy. Ohio. 95% unmasked and some of the masked were workers. I felt odd having a mask! I had it on my chin just in case I wanted to pull it up. I have to say Iâm more cognizant of people being too close in my personal
Space and donât like it!
It was a bit surprising to me to see nearly everyone unmasked.
Went to a large store today⊠It has signs on the door depicting people wearing masks, but the sign said masks are required if unvaccinated. (I did put on a mask when going there before seeing the sign, since I had no idea what its policy would be.)
Nevertheless, almost everyone in the store was wearing a mask. This store is in an area where probably close to 70% are fully vaccinated and another 10% have had the first dose of a two dose vaccine, so it is unlikely that most of the people wearing masks in that store are unvaccinated. Nor is it likely that all of the immunocompromised people who got weak immunity from vaccination were shopping at that store at that time.
However, there is still a lot of COVID-19 paranoia around, such that mask wearing outdoors in uncrowded situations (e.g. walking down the street when you might encounter one person every block, and can easily maintain social distance from that person) is still common.
My state fully opened this week. Most of my ventures out of the house this week were medical so for me I didnât see any difference. At the dr visit this morning they still were just allowing 2 in the elevator and also taking temperature at the door. Seats were blocked off in the waiting room.
Today was a full day out doing normal errands. Costco- all employees 100% masked. Almost every customer I saw was masked. Went to lunch at a nearby Mexican restaurant, employees were masked. Several people dining inside but most patrons opted to sit outside. Most customers werenât masked. Biggest change was that the salsa bar is now self serve as is the drink dispenser. Walked over to Home Depot and was just in the garden department. Employees masked, shoppers 75% masked. Glancing inside it looked like most shoppers were masked.
The only place Iâve been to in weeks that still has signs at the door saying everyone entering must be properly masked is Google Fiber. I went today to switch out some equipment and it was odd to see 100% masking again. Maybe a decree from headquarters?
@mom60, since youâre state just opened Iâll be curious if you see your mask % drop drastically in the next couple of weeks. Thatâs what happened here - within a couple weeks it seems like itâs night/day if 2 weeks ago
Same here. Took a couple of weeks but now I hardly see anyone in a mask. Except where required
I guess my son will have to wear a mask in public during his visit next month since he wonât be fully vaccinated.
Went to a grocery store today (put on a mask before going, since I was not sure what its rule was)âŠ
- There was no sign specifying any specific mask policy at the door.
- Inside, most, but not all, people were wearing masks. The implied policy appears to be âmask required if unvaccinated, honor systemâ. Given that the area has about 70% full vaccination and 80% with at least the first of a two dose vaccine, it looks like lots of fully vaccinated people are still wearing masks. Perhaps there is still a lot of ânot sure what store policy isâ.
- All of the people not wearing masks appeared to be White, even though visible minorities were probably about half of the population in the store and area. However, the unmasked people were only a minority of White people in the store.