The Debate About Ending Mask Mandates Heats Up, With Some Experts Saying It's Time To Unmask Parts Of The Country

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - While the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention still recommends masks worn indoors and around crowds, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Scott Gottlieb thinks it's time to start talking about unmasking.

Sunday on "Face The Nation," Gottlieb said masks in areas that are seeing low COVID-19 infection numbers and high rates of vaccination are not necessarily needed, even indoors.

"You look at San Francisco, 20 cases a day, more than 70% of the population vaccinated and very good testing place...they don't need a mask ordinance inside anymore and certainly not outside," he said.

In Pasadena, CBSLA's Laurie Perez spoke with a resident who agrees with Gottlieb.

"I mean, I think we should do it given the fact that the majority of Americans are getting vaccinated now," Rondale Williams said. "So, I feel comfortable being without a mask, especially outdoors.

However, there are still those who would prefer people to wear masks indoors. Courtney Rhodes, who works in retail at Gameology, says she feels safer when customers keep socially distanced and are masked up.

"I live with two others, my roommates, who I care about very deeply, and because of all the people I see coming in and coming out...I don't want to risk getting them sick," she said.

Though new COVID-19 cases in LA hovered around 400 a day for the past three days, the county is seeing progress. Hospitalizations are at the lowest they've been during the pandemic and the county is now in the state's least restrictive yellow tier, which allows for larger gatherings of people both indoors and out.

Starting Monday, the city is opening up vaccine access to anyone without an appointment at any vaccination site. It will also be operating two more night vaccine clinics after seeing a 62% increase of first doses delivered after 2 p.m. last week, at the city first nighttime clinic.