NORTH CAROLINA – Business owners and healthcare experts say people are taking advantage of the medical exemption in the state's mask mandate.

Sarah Duehring owns a hair salon in Greensboro and says some clients claim a medical condition excuses them from wearing a mask.

Being pregnant with her first child, Duehring worries everyone who refuses a mask could be putting her and her child's health in danger.

"Especially being pregnant, they just don't know a lot," she says. "I feel like they don't know a lot in general about the virus, and there's just such little information about how it affects pregnant women and babies. I just want to be careful for that reason."

Yoland Enrich, a nurse practioner with Novant Health, says the only medical reasons for not wearing a mask would be a condition that makes you unable to remove a mask yourself or unconsciousness.

"It's not easy to wear a mask, but being uncomfortable is not a reason to not wear a mask. We should all do our part to try to slow down the spread of COVID," she stated.

Enrich wishes people would keep in mind that their actions are key to the safety of everyone around the.

The state's rule on masks makes it easier for Duehring to insist her clients don't threaten her safety.

"The nice thing about it being something that the state has asked for is I don't have to ask for it for my own personal comfort, I don't have to get into as many arguments with people about it," she follows.

Enrich explains that North Carolina's mandate doesn't require anyone to carry documents or paperwork showing proof of a medical exemption, it's based on the honor system.