FAYETTEVILLE, WV (WOAY) – “It makes me anxious.”
Range Finder Coffee Owner Craig Reger isn’t alone. With the CDC announcing that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear a mask in public, business owners are left to decide if they will still require masks for their customers.
“In the beginning of the pandemic, it was really hard to convince people to wear masks,” Reger said. “Now, all of a sudden, we’re maskless.”
Health officials say that those who are not fully vaccinated are still at high risk for contracting and spreading COVID-19. The honor system will play a significant role in mask wearing based on vaccination status.
“We would encourage that people that are vaccinated, that they can be unmasked,” Stewart said. “People that are unvaccinated should continue to mask.”
Reger is fully vaccinated, but still plans to wear a mask in public, including at work. He says he’d rather feel secure than worry about if everyone around him is fully vaccinated.
“The only thing you can look out for is you,” Reger said. “That’s kind of what I’m doing, basically. Even though I’m fully vaccinated.”
Stewart agrees that it’s natural to have caution going out in public with no mask. The science can be trusted, but human behavior is a wild card.
“We just have to all do the best we can with the information that we have,” Stewart said. “Focus on ourselves and our communities.”