Agreed that mask mandates put local public officials in a difficult spot. But there's no more need for mask mandates.

Back when the pandemic started, each of us who wore a mask was wearing it to protect everyone else from us in case we happened to be infected and didn't know. Made sense then based on what we "knew" about how the virus spread and the unavailability of N95/P100 masks. Those masks are available now. I wear one when indoors in a public place (e.g. shopping) but I wear it for me - not you. Wear one or don't. Doesn't matter to me. But don't pretend that Covid is gone - it's very much not. And immunity from previous infection or vaccination does NOT work against BA.5.