Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

[Alpha8472]

Trader Joe's is letting vaccinated people go mask free in their stores. Walmart will allow customers and employees who are vaccinated to go mask-less. How are you supposed to verify if they had the vaccine? There were several fully vaccinated sports players who tested positive anyway.

I do not know about you, but mask-less people make me very uncomfortable. The ones with their noses sticking out are just as bad as those not wearing masks. I work at a pharmacy and have heard so many stories about how people saying that they already had COVID. Many said they had no symptoms and no fever. They did not even know they had it until they got a random test. Some people only got the test because their jobs required routine testing.

I think that this says if you got the vaccine you are most likely protected and not able to catch it or spread it. If you are unvaccinated, too bad. You will probably catch it anyway. Enjoy. This way we will reach herd immunity because the unvaccinated will catch it even faster. Then everyone will be immune.

[veteran+]

Trader Joe's is letting vaccinated people go mask free in their stores. Walmart will allow customers and employees who are vaccinated to go mask-less. How are you supposed to verify if they had the vaccine? There were several fully vaccinated sports players who tested positive anyway.

I do not know about you, but mask-less people make me very uncomfortable. The ones with their noses sticking out are just as bad as those not wearing masks. I work at a pharmacy and have heard so many stories about how people saying that they already had COVID. Many said they had no symptoms and no fever. They did not even know they had it until they got a random test. Some people only got the test because their jobs required routine testing.

I think that this says if you got the vaccine you are most likely protected and not able to catch it or spread it. If you are unvaccinated, too bad. You will probably catch it anyway. Enjoy. This way we will reach herd immunity because the unvaccinated will catch it even faster. Then everyone will be immune.

I will NOT remove my mask indoors for quite a while (tested negative AND then fully vaccinated).

I do NOT trust other people and do NOT trust the "honor" system.

Everyone else can do what they want

[babs]

Once people get inside the store, how is anyone going to know who should and should not be wearing mask?

[storewanderer]

I went to multiple stores yesterday: 100% of customers and employees in all of the below stores still wore masks. However, as far as signs go:

1. Wal Mart, Raleys, Safeway: all stores have signs up stating masks required for entry. However, none had box of masks near the door for customers who showed up without one (previously present at Wal Mart and Raleys)
2. Scolaris: mask required sign was replaced with a sign that said "THE CDC RECOMMENDS UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS WEAR A MASK WHILE INDOORS."
3. CVS: All signs about masks removed from doors.

[TW-Upstate NY]

After becoming officially fully vaccinated a week ago this past Wednesday, I decided it was time to get out just a bit more. Thursday I went to a local Hannaford in Gloversville which I hadn't been to since at least early February and I'm pleased to say I saw pretty much full compliance mask-wise. Yesterday it was a trip to Lowes and again pretty much 100%. I then decided to make my first visit to the local outlet of the "evil empire" since October or November and it was there I saw some cracks in compliance. I'll say this again to shoppers and employees-the mask MUST cover your nose! You may as well not wear one if it does not. Unfortunately I saw enough of that here for it to be noticeable. They have also let down their guard at the entrance as well. Previously they had a dispenser of single use Purell wipes and now that's been replaced by a roll or two of restroom grade paper towels and a spray trigger bottle of what I presumed to be some kind of antibacterial agent. I didn't use a cart or basket so I didn't try it out. And as I was leaving of course I just had to see someone who was unmasked walk in in spite of the fact the "face masks required" banner was still predominantly displayed outside over the front door. For the record, I was masked up with a KN-95 and plan to remain so in spite of the pulling back on said masking requirements. About the only time I won't is when I'm outside working around the house or I walk across the road to get the mail and the paper. Oh, and I just saw earlier today on CNN that Wal-Mart WILL be dropping their mask mandate as of Monday. Oh well, guess my first visit to them yesterday for the first time in months will be my LAST one.

[Alpha8472]

I saw some homeless type people in Walmart unmasked today. I would be afraid of tuberculosis also. Many homeless people pickup medications for tuberculosis. There is no vaccine for that.

I also noticed at my pharmacy that many released criminals need their second COVID vaccine. They get their first one in jail and then they come to pharmacies to get their second shot.

[storewanderer]

I saw some homeless type people in Walmart unmasked today. I would be afraid of tuberculosis also. Many homeless people pickup medications for tuberculosis. There is no vaccine for that.

I also noticed at my pharmacy that many released criminals need their second COVID vaccine. They get their first one in jail and then they come to pharmacies to get their second shot.

The homeless should be (should have been) offered a mask at the store entry like anyone else who comes in without a mask, at least that is how it has been working around Reno until yesterday when the masks were taken from the entrances...

[BillyGr]

Oh, and I just saw earlier today on CNN that Wal-Mart WILL be dropping their mask mandate as of Monday. Oh well, guess my first visit to them yesterday for the first time in months will be my LAST one.

Though that won't apply here until the state allows it (which, last I knew they hadn't made any changes).

Also, if it makes people feel better, I heard somewhere recently that of new infections only 0.03% were in those who had been vaccinated, so it definitely seems to help out.

[veteran+]

After becoming officially fully vaccinated a week ago this past Wednesday, I decided it was time to get out just a bit more. Thursday I went to a local Hannaford in Gloversville which I hadn't been to since at least early February and I'm pleased to say I saw pretty much full compliance mask-wise. Yesterday it was a trip to Lowes and again pretty much 100%. I then decided to make my first visit to the local outlet of the "evil empire" since October or November and it was there I saw some cracks in compliance. I'll say this again to shoppers and employees-the mask MUST cover your nose! You may as well not wear one if it does not. Unfortunately I saw enough of that here for it to be noticeable. They have also let down their guard at the entrance as well. Previously they had a dispenser of single use Purell wipes and now that's been replaced by a roll or two of restroom grade paper towels and a spray trigger bottle of what I presumed to be some kind of antibacterial agent. I didn't use a cart or basket so I didn't try it out. And as I was leaving of course I just had to see someone who was unmasked walk in in spite of the fact the "face masks required" banner was still predominantly displayed outside over the front door. For the record, I was masked up with a KN-95 and plan to remain so in spite of the pulling back on said masking requirements. About the only time I won't is when I'm outside working around the house or I walk across the road to get the mail and the paper. Oh, and I just saw earlier today on CNN that Wal-Mart WILL be dropping their mask mandate as of Monday. Oh well, guess my first visit to them yesterday for the first time in months will be my LAST one.

EVIL EMPIRE.............I love it and concur

[Alpha8472]

The mask dropping policies seem to be for economic reasons. Some of these stores do not want to turn away customers for a lack of mask. They just want to make as many sales as possible.

Now people have to buy N95 or KN95 masks to protect themselves now. I have been wearing KN95 masks for a while. They are easy to breathe through. I tried a surgical mask today and I felt like I was suffocating. I do not know why, but the way the mask stuck to my face when I inhaled made me feel like I could not get any air. I highly recommend KN95 masks if you can find them.