To mask or not to mask? That is the question facing US states, businesses and people in their everyday lives in the wake of the bombshell announcement by the top health authority lifting most restrictions for those fully vaccinated against Covid-19, AFP reports.

US President Joe Biden hailed the change in guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calling it a “great day” for America. But if the idea sounded straightforward in theory, it has raised questions about how to implement it practically — the foremost being, how do you tell if a person is fully vaccinated?

Then there is the trauma felt by many reluctant to let go of safety measures in the world's hardest-hit country, where more than 580,000 have lost their lives to the virus.