Philadelphia

Philadelphians feel a boost after city drops indoor mask mandate days after reinstating it – CBS Philly

By Judy J. Beasley

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Philadelphia has flip-flopped on face masks. The city on Friday lifted its indoor mask mandate just four days after making the controversial decision to bring it back. As part of the announcement, the city also removed the four levels of response it had created that determined the risk of COVID-19 in the city.

As patrons take advantage of the warm Friday weather by dining outdoors, they are feeling a boost after the city dropped its indoor mask mandate just days after reinstating it. Businesses have mixed reactions to the city’s decision.

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On Friday morning, businesses like Retro Fitness in Spring Garden removed their “mask required” signs now that face coverings are no longer required in indoor public spaces in Philadelphia.

Ryan Neel is the General Manager of Retro Fitness on Spring Garden Street.

“I didn’t expect that because we just brought him back on Monday,” Neel said.

The Mask Mandate led to an unusual puzzle at the gymnasium. Some customers signed up for the gym just before the mask mandate came into effect on Monday.

Then, when the city started requiring masks, prompting the gym to reinstate its policy that all customers had to be vaccinated so members could train without a mask, some new customers didn’t want to get vaccinated. but had already paid.

The gym froze their memberships so they didn’t have to keep paying for a gym they didn’t have access to.

(Credit: CBS3)

Now that the mask term is up, those memberships can be unfrozen and unvaccinated members can access the gym.

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“A little relieved because it tends to create some tension, especially in the gym environment, just switching between vaccinations and masks, so I can’t say I’m unhappy with that,” Neel said. .

Across the street at Xpressions Beauty Boutique, nearly every stylist and client is still choosing to cover up, despite the city’s mandate ending.

“I’m sick of wearing a mask, however, I don’t have the luxury of being 6 feet from my clients, working in the salon,” said stylist Kim Stallworth, “so I like to keep my mask. And I like that my clients can also wear their own. It’s safer.

(Credit: CBS3)

Down the street at Stockyard Sandwich Co., accountant April Lindsay believes the city was too quick to end its mask mandate amid falling COVID-19 case counts.

“It should be long enough that we can see the results when the numbers start to drop, not just see the numbers drop and take off our masks and get sick,” Lindsay said.

At Jack’s Firehouse restaurant on Fairmount Avenue, some customers feel more comfortable eating outdoors now that customers inside are no longer required to wear masks.

“I know the number of cases is lower now, but there are still a lot of cases and I feel, in general, safer outside than inside if I have the choice of dining. outside,” Jen Hensler said.

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Even though these signs have been removed, companies aren’t throwing them away yet. They are ready to put them back in place if the mask mandate returns.

Judy J. Beasley
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