Business owners wrestle with whether or not to require masks After what's felt like a decade in masks, within a few days, the CDC declared that fully-vaccinated people can stop wearing masks and socially distancing in most settings, with a few exceptions, and New York State adopted the guidance. Posted: May 18, 2021 5:41 PM Updated: May 18, 2021 7:24 PM Posted By: Joleen Ferris After what's felt like a decade in masks, within a few days, the CDC declared that fully-vaccinated people can stop wearing masks and socially distancing in most settings, with a few exceptions, and New York State adopted the guidance. One potential exception-local businesses and workplaces. The new-found freedom left business owners, who are responsible for both their vaccinated and unvaccinated clients' safety, grappling with a not-so-easy decision.