I don’t believe this. Maybe some areas are over compensating but I see plenty not wearing masks in the south particularly younger people.
I see plenty of people not wearing makes in my area of western NY. Sometimes up to 50%. I have not worn one in a store since the beginning May. I have never been challenged or have seen people being challenged to put on a mask.
The only place I have worn one is at the doctor’s or pharmacy. That’s where the sick people are.
My take is that if you breathe in a little virus or bacteria from time to time, your immune system learns to deal with it. That makes you able to fight off or reduce the effect most infectious diseases. It seems to work for me with the flu when every year I am surrounded with people that get it and I don’t. Even when they stand in my office coughing and sneezing.