Just as the weather started to change last spring, our lives were put on hold for the COVID-19 pandemic.  Sporting events, movie theaters, concerts, and the like were all cancelled or restricted, and we have all been long awaiting the day when we could return to our favorite activities.  Now that more and more people are vaccinated and the mask mandate has been lifted, what does that mean for Omaha?

The CDC released new guidelines on May 13, 2021 that vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a mask in most indoor and outdoor settings, excluding public transportation, hospitals, or where local rules require a mask.  The Omaha City Council let the mask mandate expire on May 25, 2021, leaving many businesses to decide for themselves whether to require masks for all individuals, or only require masks based on the honor’s system.  In addition, while larger events in Omaha are set to take place, such as concerts and sporting events, there are still social distancing requirements that venues must keep in mind.  The College World Series, for example, will not be selling general admission tickets for the 2021 season.  General Admission seats will be sold as reserved seats so that proper physical distancing is still a possibility.

Although some businesses around Omaha, including restaurants and stores, are going maskless, some are planning on requiring masks until a larger percentage of the population has been vaccinated.  Nebraska Furniture Mart will still be requiring masks, at least for the near future.  Many larger chains have decided to no longer require a mask unless it is required by local rules, including Aldi, Best Buy, Costco, CVS, Dollar General, Home Depot, Kroger, Lowe’s, Starbucks, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, and Walmart.  However, if you plan to travel outside Nebraska and visit one of these chains, several states still have mask mandates in place, so some quick research is necessary to determine whether you need to pack a mask. 

As for McGill Law, we are still asking that individuals make an appointment before coming by the office, and masks will still be required for meetings in the office.  We have masks available for those coming into the office and are continuously evaluating the safety of our clients and employees based on local trends in COVID-19 cases.  We are grateful for the baby steps we are seeing this spring regarding our community’s reopening and will keep you updated as we move forward together!