SPOKANE, Wash. — Uber and Lyft have joined the other public transportation agencies in ditching their mask mandates.
Uber driver Audie Hanley said it's about time the masks came off.
"It’s been too long since we’ve had them on," Hanley said. "There was a long time we had to decline rides because Uber required people to wear masks and most of them just didn't want to."
Hanley said that in addition to riders not wanting to mask up, drivers were also feeling the mask fatigue.
Now, Hanley and other rideshare drivers can take their masks off.
Rideshare user Lisa Browning said she's going to continue wearing a mask in certain situations, including when her driver isn't wearing one and when sharing a ride with a stranger.
"It'll just be a case-by-case basis," Browning said. "It definitely feels weird to not have a mask on in bigger crowds."
Browning said she plans to keep a mask on hand. Spokane health officer Dr. Francisco Velázquez said this philosophy is a good idea.
Dr. Velázquez said people will consider personal health and those around them who are at high risk when choosing to mask up.
He also said science has advanced since researchers first discovered COVID-19 and industries will continue to adapt by dropping their masking rules.
"“We have a significant amount of knowledge that we didn't have two years ago, which we're applying." Dr. Velázquez said. "We also have a lot of tools to decrease risk, such as vaccines, which we then have a year and a half ago. I do believe that as time goes by, and the variants do not cause either significant disease and or impact on healthcare, we will see less masks requirements. And we'll see more of a masking recommendation for general protection and health.”
He said the fight isn't over yet. Until COVID becomes an endemic disease, there's still a possibility masks will be encouraged. He said winter, he expects most will choose to wear a mask again after considering the spread of COVID and other seasonal illnesses like the flu.
Dr. Velázquez said health experts will continue to follow COVID case rates and trends to make the best health recommendations possible.