Some businesses note decline in face mask use since reopening

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Mask sales have remained steady at children’s boutique Tugboat and The Bird on Park Avenue in Winter Park since they re-opened last month. 

“You can buy the four-packs. I just got these in yesterday. I’m already sold out of the child ones. I’ve had a lot of child ones,” said owner Laura Haftel. “Smallest we’ve been able to find fits a two to six-year-old.”

The Florida Department of Health reported on Thursday 1,698 new coronavirus cases, the highest single-day spike since the start of the pandemic. Although Haftel is selling a lot of masks, she’s noticing a difference in mask-wearing habits.   

Back in early May when she first reopened her doors, she estimates that around 95% of customers were wearing masks.

"Our employees, we all wear masks,” Haftel added. 

Five-and-a-half weeks later, she’s noticing her customers aren’t wearing masks quite as much.  

“I would say like maybe 30%, 40% [aren’t wearing masks]. I think just not as much as they were. I think some people are getting more comfortable; some people just forget. I’ve had people say ‘Oh my gosh, I forgot my mask! Can I still come in?’ I say, 'Of course!”

Haftel is still doing everything within her power to prevent the spread of germs and the virus. 

“As a business owner, all I can do is require my employees to wear masks, and we still are sanitizing,” Haftel explained.  “We’ll just have to continue to watch the numbers.”