On May 13, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) performed an abrupt about-face on its mask guidance, recommending that people who are fully vaccinated could stop wearing facemasks under most circumstances. The update, titled, "Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People," stated that "fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance."
Suddenly, per the CDC, it was entirely up to local businesses to choose whether to require that their clientele wear masks.