Phillies Fans No Longer Required To Wear Face Masks In Outdoor Areas At Citizens Bank Park
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia has taken another step forward on the road to recovery. The city removed some density limits in places like stores, museums and libraries.
You now only need 3 feet of social distancing in restaurants and theaters. And masks are no longer required outdoors if you are fully vaccinated.
The mask mandate has also been lifted for fans in the stands at Citizens Bank Park.
The stands will continue to fill up as the city heads toward full capacity at Citizens Bank Park next month. But today was another step forward.
Mark it down. May 21, 2021 -- the return of smiles.
"It feels weird, to be honest after wearing a mask for so long," Center City resident Liz Abraham said.
Abraham and her nephews Wes and James took advantage of their time without masks.
"It's actually nice to see people smile," said Lirui Li. "Somebody in my building, yeah, I only talk to her with a mask on and she one time took it off and I was like, 'Oh! That's what you look like.'"
Now that you know your neighbor better, look for them in the stands.
Over 15,000 will find themselves at Citizens Bank Park for the first of a three-game series with Boston, as the Phillies expand their in-stadium capacity as the city drops its outdoor mask order.
"You can go to a ballgame without a mask," Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said.
"We are encouraging unvaccinated fans to still wear their masks. Masks will be required in indoor spaces at the ballpark, so the Diamond Club, elevators, restrooms," Director of Operations Sal DeAngelis said.
There will be sections for people who still want to socially distance themselves.
And as far as figuring out who is vaccinated and who is not vaccinated, the Phillies say they're operating on the honor system.