Workers in Mississippi, Texas, Iowa, Montana, South Carolina, and North Dakota are worried that bigger, mask-less crowds could endanger worker safety.

Many low income earners in retail stores, bars, grocery stores, and fast food restaurants can't afford to get sick, and are worried co-workers, and customers will become less disciplined about wearing masks.

While many essential workers are relieved that COVID-19 restrictions are being phased out and will help the economy, many are also scared they could make them less safe as the pandemic continues to ravage the nation, especially as more transmissible variants continue to surge.

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black and Latino people across the United States, and many Gulf Coast restaurants have a significant number of Black employees.

Public health experts monitoring the trajectory of more transmissible virus variants have warned that ending restrictions too early could lead to another deadly wave of infections. Although vaccination drives are accelerating as drug manufacturers increase production, many essential workers are not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in Mississippi and other states.

Large retail and grocery store chains, including, Target, and Albertson's will continue to enforce mask wearing in-store for customers and workers to protect their associates, even as Governor's across the country end mask mandates.

The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, encouraged Americans to "do the right thing" by continuing to abide by recommendations for routine mask use and social distancing — even if their states lift restrictions.

Read more from the CBS NEWS article here.