Retailers open up about mask mandates

With an uptick in COVID-19 cases throughout the country, the issue of wearing masks has been at the forefront of the national discussion pertaining to fighting the virus. Some states have mask mandates while others have allowed counties to make their own choices regarding mask enforcement.
Last week, national chains like Walmart, Kroger and Target announced they were going to institute a mandatory mask policy for all their outlets nationwide.
“Currently about 65% of our more than 5,000 stores and clubs are located in areas where there is some form of government mandate on face coverings,” Dacona Smith, chief operating officer for Walmart, said Wednesday in a press release. “To help bring consistency across stores and clubs, we will require all shoppers to wear a face covering starting Monday, July 20. This will give us time to inform customers and members of the changes, post signage and train associates on the new protocols.”
So, how have other local businesses adjusted to mask mandates? Employees, patrons and health officials from the area as well as in neighboring West Virginia and Ohio share their thoughts.
Pennsylvania
Greg Gold has “one or two” incidents a week of a customer becoming upset over having to wear a mask in his business. He said sometimes the situations “escalate to an unpleasant encounter.”
“It’s unfortunate because we’re not looking to be confrontational,” he said.
Gold and his brother, Chip Gold, own and operate multiple locations of Miller’s Ace Hardware stores in Washington County. The state’s secretary of the health department, Dr. Rachel Levine, signed an order earlier this month mandating that residents wear masks in public.
“We do have to take a stand for what we believe is important, to not only respect the mandate from the governor’s office and the guidelines from the CDC, but it’s what we believe as a company,” Greg Gold said.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Gold said he’s mandated that all employees and customers wear a mask while in their stores to ensure everyone’s safety. If customers don’t have one, they’ll provide a disposable one. If a customer can’t wear a mask for a medical or other reason, Gold said they offer curbside service and online shopping with pickup or delivery options.
“The vast majority of our customers are very understanding of the fact that we’re doing this to protect their health and the safety of our employees,” Gold said. “We were actually pleased to see some of the bigger national corporations and stores like Walmart take that step.”
Jeff Kotula, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce president, said in his conversations with businesses, many feel the same as Gold.
“The first thing they’re aware of and prioritize is the safety of their customers and the safety of their employees,” he said.
Kotula said health and safety aren’t the only risks when customers refuse to wear a mask. They could also “be costing a business owner their livelihood or an employee their job,” Kotula said.
According to Kotula, a majority of customers recognize the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic and are compliant with mask requirements in businesses. He said bars and restaurants have been the targets of mitigation efforts by the state “because that’s where people congregate.” People also don’t typically wear masks while eating or drinking.
“There is a clear relationship between public safety guidelines, such as wearing a mask, and the COVID-19 infection rate,” Kotula said. “The less people follow the CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines, the more the coronavirus infection rate increases.”
Not following the guidelines, he said, has an economic impact, too, because the infection rate increases almost guarantee longer-lasting restrictions from the state.
“Our businesses want to serve their customers and their employees want to work,” Kotula said. “We need to do our part to allow them to do so safely.”
West Virginia
Gov. Jim Justice ordered masks to be worn indoors by anyone age 9 and older nearly two weeks ago, but there is no enforcement component to the mandate.
And while Dr. Clay Marsh, who is heading the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said statistics show wearing masks is important to stopping the spread of the virus, he is not sure requiring it by law is the way to go.
“(The governor) doesn’t want to turn that into a point of contention,” Marsh said. “One of the really secret sauces in West Virginia and elsewhere is to try to keep people together.”
The owner of St. Marys Hardware in Pleasant County said he’s not requiring masks in his store, though people who wear them are welcome.
“It’s not like I’m taking a stand against the governor or anybody,” Rod Sayre said. “It’s not a law; it’s a mandate.”
Sayre said he’s not “throwing caution to the wind” when it comes to the virus. The business requires social distancing and limits the number of people inside at one time. Countertops and other high-touch surfaces are cleaned and sanitized.
But some older employees with breathing issues may find wearing a mask difficult, while other customers simply don’t want to wear masks. And Sayre doesn’t see the need to start requiring them now, four months into the state’s pandemic response, with just half a dozen positive cases in Pleasant County.
If the mask mandate became a law, Sayre said he would comply, even though he believes it could slow his employees’ ability to respond to customers.
“If it came down to it, yeah,” he said. “I’m not a rebel law-breaker.”
The governor’s mask order includes exceptions for residences, when sitting at a table in a restaurant, when social distancing is possible and for people with breathing problems or who are unable to put on a mask without assistance.
Ohio
As life seems to be returning to normal, Ohioans are back to enjoying eating out, shopping at retail stores and visiting salons – all while wearing a mask. Susie Cramer, director of infection prevention and patient safety at Firelands Regional Medical Center, said this week that as things continue to open, donning face coverings will be essential to combat the virus.
“Wearing a face mask will help prevent the spread of infection and prevent a person from contacting germs that are spread in the air,” Cramer said. “When the county is in a level 3, this denotes that the county is in a very high level of exposure and spread of the virus. Counties that are under a Red Alert Level 3 will be required to begin wearing masks in public areas, which increases protection for all residents during this ‘red’ level time period.”
She said face masks are part of an infection control strategy that acts as a barrier and eliminates cross-contamination.
“When someone coughs, talks or sneezes, they could release germs into the air that may infect others nearby,” Cramer said. “Masks are proven to prevent people from unknowingly passing the virus onto someone else, which is proven to prevent exposure and illness.”
Meanwhile, some working in retail were skeptical about wearing a mask while on the job.
“When the mandate is not a thing, we are kind of leaving it up to personal preference for our customers,” Rena Arter, a sales associate for Arter Home Furnishings, said. “For me, it’s strictly on state guidelines. If I didn’t have to wear one, I probably wouldn’t.”
Melanie Myers, public information officer of Huron County Public Health, said COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets products when an infected person coughs, talks or raises their voice.
“A cloth face covering may not protect the wearer but it may keep the wearer from spreading the virus to others,” Myers said. “Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.”