Hospitalizations for respiratory viruses are ticking up everywhere, as they do in flu season every year. This year there's no flu, just COVID?
The same thing is happening in states that are locked down with mask mandates.
Masks have not prevented these increases anywhere; not telling anyone not to mask but mandating it has not proven any great success. I believe (obviously could be wrong) but mask wearing for the healthy delays building any immunity to the virus it also weakens are immune systems to no germs or bacteria that we would normally be exposed to on a daily basis.