Mask confusion: Required or recommended?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - If you are confused by the changing masking policies, you're not alone.
Some places are requiring them, others aren't, so what should you do?
CBS News Medical Expert Dr. David Agus strongly believes we don't need to mask everywhere anymore but each person has to weigh their own tolerance.
Some aren't ready to give up the masks while others can't shed them fast enough.
"On the bus, I usually take the bus home a few days a week, I think somewhere like that I might wear a mask," one Port Authority rider said. "I personally feel that I shouldn't be told somewhere necessarily that I should have to wear."
Dr. Agus said the vaccines are what have made the difference.
"They are enabling us to live with the virus rather than hide from it," he said.
He added that all we have to do is determine our own comfort zones.
"I do think in places like airplanes where you're out of control who sits next to you wearing a mask make some sense and give some protection," Dr. Agus continued.
The same is true for other confined spaces such as buses and trains.
But what about if your child is with you?
"You have the child sit to the inside of where you are you become a buffer for other people," he explained.
He pointed out that masks are primarily designed to protect others from you.
"If you wear an N95 or a KN95 mask, you will have some protection but it's hard to wear them for long periods of time," he said.
For many, it's an issue of peace of mind and there are more practical reasons.
"I just wear the mask when I'm not looking too great," laughed another Port Authority rider.
While that may seem funny, the cosmetic industry did suffer as we were all masked up, specifically lipstick sales. They're starting to recover but still far short of pre-pandemic levels.
Lastly, Dr. Agus said if you are eligible for a booster shot - get it.