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Long lines, crowded bars: Pittsburghers taking advantage of relaxed COVID-19 rules

PITTSBURGH — This was the first weekend with the new, relaxed mask guidelines in Pittsburgh. If you’re vaccinated, you don’t need to wear one in most situations unless a business requires one.

On the North Shore and the South Side, there were long lines, crowded bars and people enjoying the warmth.

“I wear glasses. I hate wearing masks. My glasses fog up all the time,” Kent Montford said.

Montford was one of the few wearing a mask this weekend that Channel 11 saw as thousands of people flooded the city.

“I see it as like an incentive to push more and more people to go out here and get the vaccine,” Montford said.

People were quick to follow the new mask rules.

“It feels good. It feels like a return to normal,” Richard Hoffman said.

But people still have concerns over the honor system.

“People may lie. I don’t put it past anybody, especially once you get some liquor in your system. People are feeling a little extra-confident,” bartender Taylor Myers said.

Myers said this is still new and the rules could change again.

“It’s the first weekend so everybody’s going to try to adjust to it, and we’re just going to, you know, follow what the CDC says and take it day-by-day,” she said.