KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it's acceptable for fully vaccinated people to not wear a mask indoors came as a shock for many people in the Kansas City metro.
"A lot of people have been waiting for this, we've been hoping this time would come," Leawood resident Kent Thoeni said.
But for others, they're not ready to give up the mask just yet.
"I still feel like everyone should still have a wear a mask inside," Thomas Hargis, of Overland Park, said. "Outside you have plenty of space to be away from people."
There's still hesitancy as many people have been wearing masks for a year around others.
"We're really in the stage of the unknown right now," Kansas City resident Lindsey Goff said. "I feel like still being fully vaccinated, I'm still going to wear my mask because I still have young ones. I have parents who are high risk for COVID. So I'm still going to do my part."
Goff's young family still has questions.
"With everybody so eager to get back, like are we pushing it a little too hard? Are we trusting the science?" Goff's husband, Julian, said.
Local government leaders told 41 Action News this came as a shock to them as well.
"Caught me by surprise, but I do know that the CDC has been trying to monitor the data," Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey said.
Alvey said he hopes the announcement gives an incentive to those who are not vaccinated. In Wyandotte County, only about 30% of residents have been inoculated.
"What we need people to do is be honest with one another and understand that if you choose not to be vaccinated, you are still putting yourself at greater risk and maybe putting others at risk," Alvey said.
Leawood resident Sue Thoeni also said she hopes the news from the CDC will push people to receive a vaccine.
"Hopefully it will encourage people who haven't done it to think, 'Well, I don't want to have to wear all the time, maybe I'll go in and get the vaccination.'"
Because there's still a large population that has not received the vaccine, it has caused some concern from those 41 Action News spoke with about being in the same business without a mask on.
"Yeah I do feel a little bit uncomfortable because I don’t know where they’ve been or who they’ve been around and what I’m bringing home basically," Hargis said.
Local cities and businesses can still require mask wearing.
