COVID masks are going away. Angelenos have mixed feelings

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Aric Fedida (left) and Aidan Geva (right) say it feels good to enjoy a maskless night at their Santa Monica-based karaoke bar, Gaslite. Photo by Caleigh Wells.

California and LA County have lifted mask requirements for almost all indoor settings for fully vaccinated people. This Friday, unvaccinated Angelenos get to join them in tossing their masks in most places. Some people are celebrating, while others feel apprehensive.

“It brings us a sense of normality that I think we've been craving, but have been hesitant to admit because of the benefits of the mask,” said Dezmin Perez during a night out at the karaoke bar Gaslite in Santa Monica. “It's just good to be back to somewhat normalcy.”

“Those people in the karaoke bars, bless their hearts, more power to them, but yeah, I'm not [going],” says Hayley Roberts, who has a young, unvaccinated child. “Even though we're two years in, it just feels very abrupt to be like, ‘Okay, nevermind, just breathe all over each other in enclosed spaces.’”