PEORIA, Ill. — Illinois’ statewide indoor mask mandate was allowed to pass into history early Monday and there are already some businesses relaxing mask requirements as the state and the CDC now agree face coverings may not be so necessary anymore.
Inside multiple Peoria area business, including one chain restaurant, a major hotel and convention center and the Schnuck’s grocery store location off University Street, masking is now considered optional.
In all locations, there was a mix of people, mostly employees, who chose to continue wearing a face covering.
Some customers did as well, but most had chosen to shed their masks and walk around the businesses without them.
Of course, the CDC and Governor J.B. Pritzker continued to encourage mask wearing amidst the ongoing spread of COVID-19 even despite the broader requirements being relaxed.
Public health officials have focused on asking residents to remain patient with those who choose to continue wearing a mask in public or indoor spaces.
Earlier Monday, Schnuck’s had announced it had relaxed masking policies in certain stores that are located in communities deemed at lower risk from COVID’s spread.
In a news release, the grocery store chain said several locations in Carbondale, Illinois and across parts of Indiana would remain under rules that strongly recommend mask wearing.
