I’ve pajama-shopped of course, I think I towel-shopped, but I draw the line at commode-shopping.

No masks in my little specialty market if you are fully vaxxed!

Ct has done so well vaccinating and our rates are very low. In a few weeks when my daughter is fully vaccinated I will go maskless too! Feeling like things are getting back to normal.

No, I haven’t seen any stores that are maskless. Everyone’s still wearing them here. I think after Memorial Day, we are set free. Not sure I’m ready for it.

The store still requires employees to mask up. But they had a posted sign saying "per the CDC you do not need to wear a mask if you are fully vaccinated." Other than me, I think customers were wearing masks, though. And yet given the demographics, I imagine most were vaxxed.

I went to the vet this week with no mask. I did feel a little uneasy because this is a very "red" county, but I kept my distance. I suspect not all of those without masks were vaccinated. I have to say it felt weird being naked!

I got gas today and because the credit card slot was messed up I went inside and didn't wear a mask. It felt really nice, but I won't go where there's a crowd.

I've gone naked everywhere since the CDC announcement. MN lifted the mask mandate the same day.

I keep a mask in my purse and car but in the main I am no longer masking.

Our county is mask-free. If I am just popping in a mask optional store, I will go without. If it is a longer grocery trip, I wear a mask. We were in FL last week and it was surprisingly 50/50. Publix had a sign that masks were optional and everyone was wearing a mask.

I wore my mask to Trader Joe's today and got several annoyed looks from those who were shopping unmasked. The employees were still masked. California doesn't officially unmask until June 15.

On Monday, our Trader Joe's was about 50/50. Employees were masked. No sign on the door.

I didn't get any looks, or give any.

I will continue to wear a mask indoors around people I don't know. If that annoys anyone, I don't care. MYOB. We have hoards of tourists headed to our little spit of sand this summer from all over the place and I will not chance being exposed to them despite my vaccinations.

I’m a little slow on the new jargon. I don’t too many places, but most Places even if the sign is gone I see mostly masks. One grocery store, a couple of people were not wearing masks. I ate indoors at Panera again, masks except when eating, and not too many people were there,

We are pretty much maskless here, but going into T-Mobile, and being face to face with the person while they did all the stuff to set up my phone, I masked up. I did not while waiting. The guy she helped before me was not masked.

Not to derail the thread, but I think we have reached herd immunity here. 44% are vaccinated, and about 33% were tested positive, so if you count the untested/asymptomatic positives, we are there. I am happy about that. (Source: our senator)

I was next to a maskless lady in Target today and she sneezed and didn't cover her mouth. I'll admit that I gave her a "what the heck?" look.

Hospitals, vets and doctor appointments, I wear a mask and so do others. Everywhere else it’s hit or miss. When I did my open house I started out trying to space out appointments but that lasted for about five minutes. People just came in hordes. In the whole day three came masked, in the beginning, but ditched them after entry as at that point we were all vaccinated. .

Maskless everywhere now except my son's gymnastics class where they are still required for the adults. No masks required at most of his other activities or at local stores. Most of the people here are not masked, which is great.

I haven't worn a mask the few times we've gone out since moving. Grocery store employees are still wearing, but only a few shoppers. UPS, no. Haven't seen anyone driving wearing one (never understand this logic) or walking. While I didn't toss my masks, they were pushed all the way back in the bottom of the armoire, and I hope to never see them again.

We're doing a little traveling within our state, seeing a mix. Most store employees are still masked. Customers, about 50/50. The larger the town, the more masks. We've been going without, but still carry them in case. We haven't been anywhere crowded.

We were on our boat, tied up at the waterfront of a smallish town. A couple of masks on the boardwalk. And one family fully masked, right down to the preschooler.

Fully vaxxed. Went in for a surgical procedure this week so of course they gave me a mask in exchange for the one I wore in. I'm still wearing them at the Publix grocery store even though I go to time that's low traffic, but I'll wean myself off.

We've never worn them outside when we lived in Texas or now that we're in North Carolina even at the height of the pandemic, but walking in the neighborhood we still give each other a wide berth.

I think I will likely to wear a mask when I have a cold or flu and am forced to be around others or have to go out. I think I feel comfortable with masking for that purpose. I hope we might move into that realm of self care. There's several articles predicting a more rampant cold, rsv, and flu season because we've been avoid of it for the last year. https://www.statnews.com/2021/05/27/as-covid-dissipates-cold-flu-viruses-return-vengeance-2/

I can vividly remember the first time I wore a mask to Target. The feeling of conspicuousness as I walked into get a pickup order. Now it feels challenging to take it off even though we understand how vaccines work. It's amazing the coping mechanisms the brain puts in place and how we have to reverse engineer ourselves.

Best of luck to everyone making this decision. I hope you're comfortable as you transition to your new normal or whatever we're calling it.

Our gym is still requiring indoor masking, but not for outdoors classes. They cater to a lot of childrens activities and that's why. They said they'd revisit in June.

DH's gym is maskless now.

I am pleased to see most employees not wearing mask here now! I think that is what makes it feel normal to me, are the employees unmasked. I bet they are ecstatic not having to wear one anymore! I think it is about 80/20 here, 80 being people not masked. I live in a more liberal town than most in my state. I don't even take a mask with me anymore.

I'm not going to go maskless in a store until the employees can do it too. but when that happens (soon I'm sure), mine is coming off!

but two weeks after our first dose, we've been very happily doing a ton more outdoor dining / social stuff than we were before. and outdoor exercising w/o a mask! (we always thought that was safe but kept getting the stinkeye so we masked up.)

two weeks after our second dose, we're going to go to a family party, sleep at my sister's house, all kinds of shenanigans. with shared food! and shared bathrooms! so much freedom!

Our province is still mandating masks in public places until at least the 1st of July. I don't mind one bit. B.C. is doing a slow and cautious restart and for that I am grateful. I will do anythinig I can to avoid a repeat of the last 14 months. There is talk of masks being a seasonal requirement during cold and flu season which I think is brilliant. I find no hardship in wearing a mask in public places.

Since it is word of honor, I have yet to run into a store or restaurant that lets one enter without a mask, even if they SAY they're vaccinated.

Too many liars possible, it appears.

Unvaccinated are not asked to mask to protect the vaccinated they are advised to mask to protect themselves from other unvaccinated people...

Nekotish, I was thinking I will always fly with a mask now but working with kids masks really can hinder some children’s learning and esteem. They really miss seeing their teachers’ and friends’ smiles. It is damaging for all students but almost detrimental for some with learning differences.

I think they served their purpose and I am thankful for masks for they are why I never caught covid when with in inches for long periods of time with positive people. But the vaccines are now protecting me and anyone over 12 who was smart enough to get it. I can not wait until under 12 is approved so masks everywhere will hopefully be a thing of the past.

I also feel our immune systems are being weakened greatly by too much sanitizer and mask wearing.

I had a periodontist appt this morning - all staff was masked. Patients were screened, temps taken, spacious waiting room had no one in it as I walked through (I'd called from the parking lot). Sign indicating masks required on the door.

On to Costco, where I may have seen about 10-15% unmasked? It was the first time someone handed me my receipt instead of taping it to my cart in more than a year.

Last stop before starting for home was Haggen NW Fresh. I can't swear to it, but I don't believe I saw anyone unmasked when doing my shopping there.

My cardlock 'key' to the lobby at my mothers assisted living is still disabled. We cannot go in without being screened or if unmasked. We are welcome only in her apartment - I still can't do her personal laundry in their laundry room, go into any of the three first floor restaurants, the gym or pool, or take her into the hair salon. She would be allowed to do those things, but she needs one of us with her and we aren't quite that welcome yet.

We traveled last week. The lodge/lake resort we were at was still observing some precautions. No one on elevators together unless family, tables in restaurant spaced, employees masked. We drove through surrounding areas and visited a few antique stores, no masks there. When dining out, we ate outside, other than one restaurant and they still had tables spaced, no gathering in lobby, etc. We felt safe. Here at home, I went to a restaurant yesterday for a cousins lunch - all unmasked. Stopped at the drugstore, about half and half. I will continue masking as these type businesses since employees are. Had teeth cleaned Tuesday, of course all staff are always masked, but no more waiting in car, no temps taken, etc. Waiting room chairs spaced out. Progress!

Maybe the masked employees are waiting until most customers are unmasked before the company lets them go unmasked. In other words, the Longer you wear yours inside even if you aren’t required to-the longer the employees have to wear a mask. Maybe the company keeps track somehow? Just a thought. I feel bad for them.

Or the masked employees are not fully vaccinated yet and their employers want them to wear masks.

My state no longer requires masks. I'm glad that my city still requires them indoors. The infection rate in this county is coming down, but it is still far too high to unmask yet, IMO.

Maddie, if they are all masked I would assume they are all being forced to be masked. If I saw some with and some without, I would say the company is giving them a choice.

Nekotish, I was thinking I will always fly with a mask now

Probably a good idea, not just for Covid. Research shows that the humidity created by wearing a mask helps your immune system's first line of defense against viruses, especially in dry air conditions like on a plane.

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/humidity-masks-may-lessen-severity-covid-19#:~:text=The%20humidifying%20effects%20of%20all,as%20viruses%2C%20within%20the%20mucus.

We are actually in the Bahamas right now, and it’s like stepping back into mid-pandemic US here. Our entire group is fully vaxed (2 of the kids just reached their 2 week post 2nd shot date while we were here; rest of us were completely done before we boarded plane. There were soooo many pre-arrival requirements (health visa, with tricky-to-time testing requirements for those who weren’t fully vaxed yet. The rest of us had to upload our vax cards and wait for approval. Flyers returning to US still have to test within 48 hrs of flight home regardless of vax status so we had a nurse come administer tests for our flight home Saturday.

The nurse told us that a very low percentage of people here have been vaxed. The only vax they have is AstraZenica, and many are afraid of it. They worry about blood clots and also question the efficacy of it. The nurse told me she had heard of several people who were infected after getting the shot. She said she is flying to Florida to get a Moderna vax (not sure how that works, but I didn’t press her.) There are commercials on local TV about washing your groceries when you get home from the store! 😳 We have to wear masks inside everywhere here. Fortunately, we are in a private residential area and have our own beach so we don’t have to worry about masks outside. It is just strange, and sad, the difference between our country and theirs.

“The store still requires employees to mask up. But they had a posted sign saying "per the CDC you do not need to wear a mask if you are fully vaccinated."

‘Declarations like the above are the silliest! Who will check to see if you’re vaccinated, and how will they? Well, there will be no checking, so why bother with the announcement ? At Costco two days ago, everyone was masked. Ditto my local mall. I don’t mind sticking with it awhile longer.

I guess I assume people will act ethically and truthfully and do what is best for their fellow man rather than act selfishly and put their own momentary and extremely, slight discomfort above the long-term well-being of others.

You're right. It is silly.

I feel like we are back at the beginning of the pandemic again, when we were unsure what exactly to do re masking. Tomorrow MA removes the mask mandate in most places, but I think stores can still require masks? And I will still think twice in many situations, and will still travel around with the 10 random masks piled up in my car...

We are meeting friends for dinner tonight and dining indoors for the first time in a long time!

Who will check to see if you’re vaccinated, and how will they? Well, there will be no checking, so why bother with the announcement ? They can check by looking at your vaccine card. Whether they will or not is another story. I would say it will depend on the business. We visit someone in a rehabilitation facility and if we show our vaccination card, we do not have to be masked. Sadly, my state is full of people who will not get the vaccine and do not want to mask either. Only a little over 40% have been vaccinated at this point. Our mask mandate has ended but businesses, etc. can require you to wear a mask. As for "forcing" employees to wear masks, with not even half our state population vaccinated, I see it as a way of trying to take care of both employees and customers.

Private businesses are under no obligation to change their rules, and have every right to require masks on their premises.

Also many experts do recommend - and are still themselves - wearing a mask in crowded public areas - esp. indoors. IMO, some areas are jumping the gun on this.

I do believe most people are honorable and empathetic, but unfortunately, there are too many who are not and those are the folks I don't trust. We have too many here where I live.

“we have too many here where I live” me too @carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10

Just got back from Giant. Sign on door says "If you are fully vaccinated, no mask required." But unlike Trader Joe's on Monday, probably 70%-80% of the people were masked. I was not.

@Sueb20 that's how I feel trying to exit out of this pandemic. I wore one this morning at Publix and it was 50/50 even with the employees.

I'm still avoiding stores like Trader Joe's that do not require masks. I have no problem with wearing a mask and do not want to be premature in removing it. I'm fully vaccinated, but I want to set a good example for others who may not yet be vaccinated. It's not over yet.

Thankfully our Trader Joe's here isn't too bad. Employees all wear masks, and they are still controlling the number of people allowed in. When I was there the other day, I'd say maybe 98% customers wore masks.

They did remove their 'wear a mask' notice from out front 😕

cooper8828, Please, please don't judge "certain people" by what you hear on TV. My family is extremely red and most of them have received the vaccine. My county is very red also and daily new cases here are usually in the single digits, so I assume most here have been vaccinated.

I don't go out much, but when I do I wear a mask. I'm elderly and not in good health, so I'm not taking any chances on getting Covid again. Also, my BIL lost a family member to Covid a few days ago, which makes you very aware that it's still here and can still be deadly.

I have thrown away several of my mask collection, with relish. I go by the CDC guidelines, but also follow what anyone requests. This morning at the garden center in NH (indoor/outdoor), masks were required. Unlike CT, compliance was only 50/50. I neither gave nor received dirty looks, but I did cluck disapprovingly under my mask. : )