Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall said it was the right moment for pulling back from the Covid-19 traffic lights.
"That doesn't stop me urging caution, wearing masks," he said.
"We've lost people in our community because of Covid-19, mask wearing's become [the norm], we just do it."
He still encouraged people to wear masks depending on the setting.
"As one feels comfortable.
"I'm happy to [continue to] walk into larger events with my mask on."
He said he had experienced Covid-19 and while he found it all right, there were others in his family who were much worse off.
"Let's remember why we did it all two and a half years ago it was all about the most vulnerable in our community."
The owner of Caroline's Boatshed Bar and Eatery Caroline Norton said it was time for mask wearing to be up to the individual.
"Anything that loosens things up any more is great. Time to move on."
Under the orange light setting, public-facing staff had to wear masks.
Norton said she would be sitting down with staff to decide what they wanted to do about masks.
"[We'll] see what they want to do and it's just really having that discussion with them and getting their thoughts and what they feel about not wearing a mask."
Business at the riverside restaurant was going fine, she said, and they were often too busy.
"Turning people away constantly, unable to cope with it all," she said.
Whanganui Chamber of Commerce chief executive Helen Garner said the traffic light system had "outlived its purpose".
"If you watch the behaviour of people on the street, they are moving beyond that voluntarily anyway.
"Mask use has gone down markedly."
Businesses were now comfortable with customers not wearing masks, she said, but the requests of more vulnerable people to wear a mask were being respected.
"It's about individual choice, but also about looking after the community and respecting people's needs for protection."
The change of direction on Covid-19 was appropriate, Garner said, because the country was through the worst of the pandemic now.
"We understand what needs to happen if there's a resurgence.
"We may need to revisit mask mandates and potential restrictions. We have lived experience now so we know what to do."
People flying into New Zealand as well as air crew no longer need to be vaccinated before entering the country.
Testing of people arriving will also now only be encouraged.
Te Whatu Ora - Whanganui has been approached for comment.
