D had a work event in NY yesterday and came home feeling really exposed and saying how “dirty” the city is. She wouldn’t come near us and wore a mask even in the house to avoid infecting us - apparently people on the train were taking off their masks to cough and sneeze etc. And she’s been meeting with vaxxed friends and going to restaurants in her hometown! (I miss her but kinda glad she’s back home again.)
That 15% figure was reported in AL, land of the determined deniers with the country’s lowest vaccination rate.
We remain solely for our grandchild, hoping to be a positive influence.
Edited to add: we continue to wear masks indoors at stores.
15% seems awfully high. Perhaps the reporter mis-spoke as no other area is seeing that kinda number.
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Just reporting in from North Carolina. The week leading up to the 4th, I saw virtually no masking, but this week as cases have been reported coming back up, I’m starting to see the masks go back on - ever so slowly.
I got to spend some time over the 4th weekend with friends from Alabama. They told me they sometimes get the stink eye when they walk into a store with masks on. That’s a shame. I wish people would give each other more grace on this decision.
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I didn’t bookmark the article, but it’s quite possible that the reporter made an error that no one caught given that al.com hasn’t seemed to have employed editors for quite a while. It’s also possible that I skimmed too quickly and misunderstood.
I tried to run a search, but didn’t find what I recall reading previously. An article on 7/2 states: “ADPH said the state has had 27 Delta-variant COVID cases. Of those, 4 were among vaccinated people.”
Six days later, another writer quoted the CDC saying that only about 33% of (presumably those eligible) are fully vaccinated. UAB expert says low vaccine rates could lead to new restrictions in Alabama - al.com That’s in contrast to the week before when al.com said the figure was 37%. This later article said that 94% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated. It doesn’t break out the Delta variant.
Any way you look at it, the situation in this state is not good. People continue to be challenged, taunted, yelled at, etc. for wearing a mask in stores and other places of business. Sadly, it’s still treated as a political statement.
Did some Costco shopping today. Mask mandates are long gone, but about 20% of shoppers, mostly Asian, had masks on. Mr. and I did not feel weird about wearing our masks. 
As my grandfather used to say, god saves those who save themselves. 
No one questioned anyone about their masks or lack thereof. We went wine tasting after that, and while the tables were still spaced out, no masks could be seen anywhere. We left ours in the car. Sat outside and enjoyed the day.
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I think it’s very sad and unfortunate people have to justify or give others a bad time if they choose to wear a mask to protect themselves or others. No one knows whether the mask wearer is particularly vulnerable, has allergies or other conditions improved by mask wearing or anything else.
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There’s a good chance that CDC is wrong again on its advice with respect to masks. CDC isn’t what it used to be.
they may not be ‘wrong’ per se, but just allowing practicalities/politics to cloud their judgement. Way back when, Fauci even admitted as much when the USPHS said masks weren’t necessary. They certainly were (from a science perspective), but the feds knew that there weren’t enuf masks for health care personnel, so the feds told the masses, ‘no need’ so health care folks were able to get as many as possible.
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On Friday, I went for my first mani/pedi of almost a year. The salon has 20’+ high ceilings and is a 3000sqft+ space with approx 15 chairs. When I walked in, the sign on the door read ’ Per CDC guidelines" etc. and there was one chair occupied; I occupied another at the far back of the salon with nobody else around. After about ten minutes of sitting with my mask on, I chose, for my own relaxation, to go ‘mask optional’ (per CDC guidelines) and remove my mask (I am long fully vaccinated). I swear, I no sooner dropped my mask than the other client complained - loudly, and I chose to put it back on. Sheesh!
Went to a grocery store yesterday… this was the first time that I saw a significant number of people inside not wearing masks, including employees. Previously, it seemed that every employee in a grocery store or restaurant (which were generally “mask not required if vaccinated”) was masked.
Another (different) grocery store yesterday. Unlike the previous one, all customers except one whom I saw were masked, as were all employees (some also wearing face shields).
But not too surprising, given the store’s target demographic.
I think we are about 2 weeks away from another mask mandate in our city, applicable to all. We are usually 2 weeks behind L.A. County, it seems. L.A. just reimposed indoor mandates today.
I accidentally walked into the bookstore without a mask on today - my first foray into maskless shopping. There weren’t many people in there and I decided I might as well have the experience before the mandates all return!
Several counties in the San Francisco bay area now “recommend that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places to ensure easy verification that all unvaccinated people are masked in those settings and as an extra precautionary measure for all.”
https://www.smcgov.org/press-release/county-san-mateo-joins-bay-area-counties-recommending-masking-indoors-precaution
My mom’s CCRC is requiring everyone to wear disposable surgical or kn95 or n95 masks—no more cloth masks for visitors. A fully vaccinated resident who traveled tested positive for covid and is quarantining. 
Wow, things have certainly spun back around. In PA (philly suburbs) I am not seeing too many masks any more. My county has a pretty high vaccination rate. I am curious as to what will prompt more mask wearing again - higher positivity rates?
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I went to the grocery store today and I noticed mask wearing is back in. I think people are back to being more cautious since Los Angeles county is once again requiring masks indoors.
I never stopped wearing a mask in stores, but in my area, most people aren’t. The risk level here just went back up to “high.” This in-between state that is neither isolation nor normalcy is hard to handle in a lot of ways.
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I went food shopping today and wore my mask. God saves those who save themselves, right? Costco and TJ - no signs of any kind regarding masks, 20-30% are masked, and no one gives a rat’s behind why someone is masked or not. Saw a sign that Athleta had a sale… had to pop into that store! The store had a sign that said, “Masks are STRONGLY encouraged.” Lulu across the street had a station with free masks and sanitizer for those who wanted them. Employees at both places had masks on. We have about 80% of adult population vaccinated here.
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