Ditch the masks? Some businesses say it's now optional; this is where they're still required

Several businesses and public institutions are still deciding whether to require masks after St. Joseph County’s order was canceled, but many didn’t hesitate Friday to ditch the practice.

For at least the short term, people are likely to encounter a patchwork of mask rules. University Park Mall in Mishawaka and local hospitals, for example, will keep their mask requirements for now, while many restaurants and government buildings have already abandoned theirs.

In announcing his decision Thursday night to lift the mask order, the county’s health officer, Dr. Robert Einterz, cited the CDC’s new recommendation that fully vaccinated people no longer need masks, in most cases.

Businesses and institutions are still free to maintain their own mask-wearing requirements.

But in downtown South Bend on Friday morning, South Blend Cafe customers were greeted with a message on the cafe’s front door.