State and local officials offered some mixed messaging Monday on whether or not public transit riders would be required to wear mask after a federal court ruling. The day ended with Gov. J.B. Pritzker lifting his executive order.

Helping Illinois residents navigate these decisions is Dr. Susan Bleasdale, medical director of Infection, Prevention and Control at University of Illinois Health. We asked Bleasdale about Pritzker’s decision that mask mandates would end for riders of public transportation.

“I think what the governor’s doing is following after the recent ruling related to the federal requirement on public transit and that they can’t require that [mask-wearing], so this is more of a legal issue from the standpoint of what the government either federally or statewide can do,” Bleasdale said. “But from a prevention standpoint, I want to make sure that people are not confused. Masks do really work in preventing COVID-19. It’s important now that it puts a little more ownership on all of us as individuals to make a decision about masking and about where we’re going to go and what our personal risk is.”

Bleasdale said it’s important for people to understand that the COVID pandemic is not over and the virus is still affecting people.

“We’re actually in the middle of an increase. It’s doubled in the city of Chicago in the last week, and we recently had a holiday weekend that will likely see more increases related to gatherings,” Bleasdale said. “So it’s important that people don’t mistake this for ‘we don’t need masks.’ It’s just that you don’t have to, it’s not required by the governor or by the federal government at the moment.”

Bleasdale said individuals will have to decide what their own personal risk is should they contract COVID-19.

“It’s dependent on whether or not you’re vaccinated and how long ago you were vaccinated. It also depends on other things that may be important to you – are you going to travel? Can you afford to get Covid? It might ruin plans that you have,” Bleasdale said. “Are you going to gather with family or friends that are vulnerable even if they are vaccinated? You might choose to wear a mask on public transit. So the personal decisions that people are going to have to make right now is related to that decision.”