NORWAY — May 24 was a day Mainers have looked forward to since last spring when the word mask became either a tool to support the community during a pandemic or one that attacked personal freedoms.

At first, face coverings were recommended. By last July they were a mandated order, until they became required even in public outdoor settings (truth be told, in Maine, in winter, they brought a degree of insulation).

But regardless how one viewed their mask, everyone longed to shed them and the wish became reality last week when the mandate was lifted.

As with almost everything connected to a novel coronavirus, the end of the mask-wearing era came with confusion. Are you outside? It should be safe with no mask, unless it you are in a crowd. Are you going inside a public place? Well then, if you’re fully vaccinated you’re good to drop it. If not, keep your kisser (and nose) covered. Do you have to prove you’ve been vaccinated? No. So, if you’re not vaccinated and don’t wear a face covering? No one will know unless you brag about it. Oh, and if you enter a school, keep it on no matter what. And the federal CDC requires masks in all public transportation.

Personally, I am a little ambivalent about what to do with my mask. I am healthy enough. I am fully vaccinated. Yet, my in-laws are in poor health and my husband’s mother cannot be vaccinated due to reactions to other vaccines. I don’t want to expose them to it because even though I’m vaccinated they say I could still contract the virus. Although it would likely not be transmissible. Right? Maybe, it all depends on which news cycle we’re in.

Businesses are left to their own devices to determine their own social distancing protocols. Perhaps in anticipation, the Hannaford that I shop at had scrapped its green and red arrows and the six feet social distancing stickers from the floor by last week, although it seemed that most of the enter/exit aisle guidance hanging from shelves remained. But glaring at people not abiding by aisle direction is so 2020 anyway.

The farmers’ market I attend every Saturday morning, being outdoors, had dropped the requirement altogether. Last weekend, over the course of four hours I counted only two unmasked patrons. All vendors were non-compliant with the current rule, which is to say that everyone still wore a mask as they conversed, handled food and made change.

I stopped by a handful of Oxford Hills businesses last week to see how managers and customers were adapting. And while policies are all over the place I got the impression that most people are comfortable abiding by the establishment’s signage and their own preferences with no fuss or fear.

First I stopped at Paris Farmer’s Union to pick up feed. Masks are no longer required there, but the sheets explaining curbside delivery were still taped to the doors. Some customers wore them and some did not. Even one pair who looked to be shopping together were split with one masked and the other not. A couple of employees wore them. Plexiglass still bordered the cash register section.

“It’s up to our customers whether they want to wear a mask or not,” explained store manager Jenah Par. “Some of our employees have not been fully vaccinated and prefer to keep wearing them. We’re all just doing our part.”

Par estimated that about 60% of the store’s customers do not come in with masks. Some of the 40% who do have revealed that they are fully vaccinated but continue to wear masks anyway. She also noted that although business last year was way up as people planned for potential food shortages, customer traffic this spring is up as well.

“We’re selling lots of soil, lots of seed,” Par said. “There are more people coming in this year. I love that people are spending more money on gardening than watching TV.”

At The Tribune in Norway, owner Adrienne Cote has kept the “masks required” sign on the door.

“I am very obviously happy that our state is moving forward and getting on the other side of these issues,” Cote said. “But I still require masks in my store. Mostly because there are a lot of children that come in here. I feel like it’s safer for them and safer for me. So that’s my plan.”

She does not want to have to ask anyone without a mask about their vaccination status so she is erring on the side of caution and retaining the rule, which also extends to her other store up the street, Brick & Mortar. Over the course of three or four days only one person grumbled about the policy and Cote said that despite their displeasure, they did have a mask handy to put on at the door.

“I am prepared to turn people away if I have to,” Cote said. “But I have not had to.”

Handmade Maine, also on Main Street, places no face covering restrictions on customers who come in.

“Pretty much 95% of the people coming in are still wearing a mask,” said co-owner Erick Galarneau. “Some might be the only ones in here and ask if it’s okay to take them off, or share that they have been vaccinated.”

Neither Galarneau nor his partner Gina Harlow wore a mask during my stop there, but Harlow pointed out that they had reconfigured their store space to allow them to converse with customer standing more than six feet back from the counter. When they need to come in closer contact with people they mask up first.

At Norway’s Hair & Company, the policy matches that of Paris Farmers Union.

“It’s whatever you’re comfortable with,” explained stylist Bobbi-Jo Clark. “Some people wear them and some are not. Some are unsure. I had one client ask me to wear one because she wasn’t fully vaccinated. And I don’t mind if it helps. I’ve done it for year, what’s more time? If people are not feeling well, we tell them don’t come in. We’ll reschedule and we’re fine with that.

“We are still by appointment only. We are not taking walk-ins now because we’re so busy. We were not allowed to during COVID, but now we’re just too busy. That’s a good problem to have.”

 

 

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