TOLEDO, Ohio — With COVID-19 cases on the rise again, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is actively looking at possibly asking people, included those who are vaccinated, to put masks back on.
After more than a year of wearing a mask, some are still getting used to events with hundreds of people outside with no masks.
"I kind of think to myself when I'm getting out of my car, like, 'I got to grab my mask,' but wait a minute, we're not there anymore," Monica Montoya said.
With no way of knowing who is vaccinated and COVID cases on the rise again, the CDC is reviewing its guidance and the need to go back to masks on for everyone. Some like Edythe Peterson never stopped wearing a mask.
"I'm vaccinated, but I'm taking no chances," Peterson said. "Everybody don't care. I care. I don't want to die because someone was careless."
Others like Leah Renee say while she doesn't like wearing a mask, she will again. But she believes it might be hard convincing everyone to put them back on.
"I think they probably maybe acted too prematurely with even taking the mask mandate away, because now people are going to be like, 'well you know, why do I got to', you know?" Renee said.
Nearly all COVID deaths and hospitalizations being reported now are from people who are not vaccinated. Peterson says that should be enough to convince people to get the shot, but she says people need to be better educated.
"The Bible says people will perish because of lack of knowledge," Peterson said. "We're in a time where there's lack of knowledge. People say no and they don't know why they're saying no. Some think they know and some say it's because others are saying no."
Most people we spoke to for this story were not vaccinated. The reasons varied from wanting to wait longer for the vaccines to be fully FDA approved to just thinking masks and handwashing are enough. Renee even said she wouldn't get the shot even if she got the coronavirus. But one thing would make her.
"If it came down to it and in order to send your kids back to school, they're going to have to get it and I had my kids get it, then I would get it," Renee said, "because I wouldn't feel right then."
Peterson is urging everyone to get the shot, saying she's not worried about herself but about others.
"Are you a guinea pig? No, I'm safe," Peterson said.
The CDC could release updated guidance this week.