To wear a mask, or not to wear a mask, that is the question

Once again Monday, the vehicles were lined up at Regina’s Evraz Place, but this time there was a finish line in site.

On Sunday, the Saskatchewan government announced on July 11 all restrictions will be lifted, including mandatory masks and gathering size limits.

980 CJME asked those in the line awaiting their second COVID vaccinatons, if they will keep the mask or ditch it completely.

“I think the mask will be a nice thing to have in certain situations,” Isaac LeClair said. “If I want to run in and out of a grocery store and not run into anybody, I might have one on me. But I think in most situations my mask will be maybe a little bit dusty, and not used all of the time.”

For LeClair, Monday marked a positive step forward.

“Being in this lineup with all these people on this nice sunny day makes me feel very optimistic about the future and very proud of my peers in this province,” he said.

Others in the lineup were also excited about their second dose and a sense of normalcy on the horizon, but were hesitant in regards to the no-mask mandate.

“Honestly, I feel a little bit nervous,” Em Ironstar said. “As soon as I saw that announcement, I checked how many cases we had in the last couple days and it’s still a lot, in my opinion.

“I think me and my family will continue wearing masks for the foreseeable future until things calm down a bit.”

Ironstar and others plan on putting the masks back in the closets, but keeping them close for travel and another potential outbreak.

“I’m excited to go back to normal,” Marcia Ziegler said. “But I am nervous about the mask mandate lifting just because it feels like a protective barrier. We probably will keep them around just in case for the next pandemic.”

Dayna Lys agreed.

“I am totally looking forward to this being over with,” Lys said. “I just want to move on with my life. I’m going to keep (my mask) because I just don’t trust that this is the end of this, but I think this is more of a memento for the times, right? Keep it and maybe we can look back on it and laugh … hopefully.

“One day we can look back at this and see what we have learned and how we have changed and maybe how we can work for being more for everybody else and not just ourselves too.”