Masks DO NOT PROTECT YOU !!! They protect others FROM YOU. Yes, they are better than nothing, but the biggest protection only gets realized if EVERYONE IS MASKING. Those places without mandates have decided that the risks are less than they care to enforce or fight now.

If you are concernrd about spreading the virus and you are filly vaxxrd and boosted, masks on yourself provide minimal protection from unmasked potential hosts of variants. The masks like n95s are best ...but cloth or surgical masks will not provide full protection to the wearer alone.

A lot of people seem to believe masking protects them move than it does. If you are not vaxxed AND boosted and are vulnerable with comorbidities or risk factors your best protection is to avoid public areas with unmasked masses, period.

The country decided to stop protecting strangers a few months back...the harsh reality is being in public is a risk analysis for everyone on their own again.

We're on our own as society decided the antivax and antimaak crowd was simply unchangeable.