Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

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marshd1000
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by marshd1000 »

Today I shopped at Metropolitan Market on Mercer Island near Seattle. As I approached the front door I noticed no sign about masks. So I asked an employee if masks are required and she said “no” if you are fully vaccinated! I am now 3 weeks past my second Pfizer vaccine! So I took off my mask and shopped maskless for the first time since March 2020! But I was clearly in the minority, most shoppers wore masks. I think I was the only one who didn’t! Also a couple of employees were maskless! Even though Mercer Island is an upscale Seattle suburb, I suspect there is a great Seattle left of center political influence there, though non radical! If this store were in Enumclaw, I think it was be majority maskless! To be honest, I think dropping the mask mandate and social distancing is the right move now! Why? Because vaccines are readily available to all who want them! Also it is time to open up the economy and schools! If anyone wants a vaccine, there is no excuse! The anti maskers/anti vaxxers talk a lot about personal responsibility! So while I don’t want anyone one to get sick and die, if they get COVID, it’s all on them! It will be THEIR fault! I hope that doesn’t happen and that they see the benefits!
Last edited by marshd1000 on May 17th, 2021, 8:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
storewanderer
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by storewanderer »

marshd1000 wrote: May 16th, 2021, 9:24 pm Today I shopped at Metropolitan Market on Mercer Island near Seattle. As I approached the front door I noticed no sign about masks. So I asked an employee if masks are required and she said “no” if you are fully vaccinated! I am now 3 weeks past my second Pfizer vaccine! So I took off my mask and shopped massless for the first time since March 2020! But I was clearly in the minority, most shoppers wore masks. I think I was the only one who didn’t! Also a couple of employees were maskless! Even though Mercer Island is an upscale Seattle suburb, I suspect there is a great Seattle left of center political influence there, though non radical! If this store were in Enumclaw, I think it was be majority maskless! To be honest, I think dropping the mask mandate and social distancing is the right move now! Why? Because vaccines are readily available to all who want them! Also it is time to open up the economy and schools! If anyone wants a vaccine, there is no excuse! The anti maskers/anti vaxxers talk a lot about personal responsibility! So while I don’t want anyone one to get sick and die, if they get COVID, it’s all on them! It will be THEIR fault! I hope that doesn’t happen and that they see the benefits!
Lucky you didn't get the snake eye from anyone. I really think trying to go maskless in an upper end store in Reno, would have you get a lot of "looks" from the masked up customers and you'd be lucky to not get a confrontation. Like I'd expect a confrontation in the Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or Raleys-Caughlin Pkwy., Raleys-Wedge, or Raleys-Robb. I won't be trying it.

Still I will be happy when the mask goes. Social distancing I can deal with and I would have been fine if that had stayed.
Alpha8472
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by Alpha8472 »

The dropping of the requirement seems like it is more for reasons of no longer confronting customers. Now the employees no longer have to risk angering anti-mask customers.

The employees are less likely to get injured or attacked. If customers want to confront anti-mask customers, that is up to them.

It is unfair to employees who have to be exposed to maskless people for hours every day. This might encourage more employees to get vaccinated and thus increase business at the in-store pharmacies for COVID vaccinations. It is always about making money for these big businesses.
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by pseudo3d »

veteran+ wrote: May 16th, 2021, 4:34 pm
pseudo3d wrote: May 16th, 2021, 11:17 am
Super S wrote: May 16th, 2021, 7:23 am
Some retail businesses have lost staff due to workers being expected to play the role of mask cop
That was always a difficult position, as you got some poor schmuck who never signed up to the role to harass customers (or worst, get into angry confrontations with--retail stores have over the years have trained non-LP officers to avoid confrontation, especially in a potentially violent one) or worse, someone craves power and will use that to bad ends.
Perhaps "harass" is not the best choice of words.

Asking a customer to follow policy is not harassment. If they feel harassed because of that they should leave and go to another store or perhaps open up their own store.

Shirt on? don't like it, leave.

Shoes on? don't like it , leave.

Mask on? don't like it, leave.
Masks are a policy that have been enacted largely by government, for most of the last twelve months most retailers did not have a choice.

Trying to compare it with the common "shoes and shirt" policy (which people have always been wearing for decades when going out, has never been formally enacted by state or federal government, and believed to have been made to ward off hippies) is a false equivalence.

I don't like to play the logical fallacy game when it comes to debates, but unless you've been wearing masks to stores your entire life, that's an extremely disingenuous argument that smacks of outright propaganda.
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by veteran+ »

pseudo3d wrote: May 17th, 2021, 4:14 pm
veteran+ wrote: May 16th, 2021, 4:34 pm
pseudo3d wrote: May 16th, 2021, 11:17 am

That was always a difficult position, as you got some poor schmuck who never signed up to the role to harass customers (or worst, get into angry confrontations with--retail stores have over the years have trained non-LP officers to avoid confrontation, especially in a potentially violent one) or worse, someone craves power and will use that to bad ends.
Perhaps "harass" is not the best choice of words.

Asking a customer to follow policy is not harassment. If they feel harassed because of that they should leave and go to another store or perhaps open up their own store.

Shirt on? don't like it, leave.

Shoes on? don't like it , leave.

Mask on? don't like it, leave.
Masks are a policy that have been enacted largely by government, for most of the last twelve months most retailers did not have a choice.

Trying to compare it with the common "shoes and shirt" policy (which people have always been wearing for decades when going out, has never been formally enacted by state or federal government, and believed to have been made to ward off hippies) is a false equivalence.

I don't like to play the logical fallacy game when it comes to debates, but unless you've been wearing masks to stores your entire life, that's an extremely disingenuous argument that smacks of outright propaganda.

Food retailers have struggled forever with insisting on customers wearing shoes and shirts in their stores.

Beach towns especially!

Hippies? That may have been where it started. The shirt and shoe policy is a safety and sanitary issue (according to every retailer I have ever worked for).

Even pets (and kids improperly placed) in shopping carts is an issue retailers struggle with.

Masks are also safety and health related, though a recent issue.

Why such strong words like propaganda, disingenuous and false equivalence?

My point was that characterizing employees as "harassing" customers was not appropriate or fair. Policy, either business or government, is simply policy.

Comply or peacefully leave.
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by storewanderer »

Went to Wal Mart today. The only employee I saw without a mask was the pharmacist administering the COVID shots (not sure if that was for inspiration or what). Kind of weird.

I saw about five customers without masks.

Also went to Trader Joes. There are no signs at all about masks on or near the door. This one surprised me, it was later at night, less than a dozen customers in the store, and I only saw one customer with a mask on.

Also went to a couple of Smiths. Despite the policy of Kroger to continue to require masks and signage posted to that effect, I noticed multiple customers without masks and multiple employees with masks not worn properly. I also observed very understaffed stores, a deli hastily closing at 6:45 PM due to lack of staffing, poorly stocked fresh departments, and various other problems with these two stores that remind me why I barely spend $10 a week with Smiths anymore.

Various other retailers- Bed Bath and Beyond, World Market, Petco, Marshalls, Michael's, Dollar Tree- all still have mask required signs.
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by Alpha8472 »

California still has a statewide mask policy in place. However, I have seen a drastic increase in unmasked people. Previously, unmasked people were offered masks or told to put on masks. Now people are afraid to confront anyone.

The anti-mask people must be coming back to the stores in droves. Many of them were boycotting stores where people had to wear masks. You can tell, because the unmasked people are the rudest customers. They invade your personal space, reach right over, and grab the last item on the shelf. If they bump into you they do not say they are sorry. They are obnoxious.

I used to see most people in parking lots wearing masks, now virtually no one wears masks outdoors.

At most pharmacies, you are required to wear face shields or goggles, gloves, and a mask if you are giving a vaccination. The pharmacist probably was not following policy at all. In California, they are allowing Pharmacy Technicians to give COVID vaccinations instead of pharmacists. Perhaps, the employees need to be trained better as there seems to be multiple breaches of policy here. At Walmart, Pharmacists wear white coats. Pharmacy Technicians wear blue coats. I believe that the Optometrist or the dentist can give COVID vaccinations as well. Any of these Walmart stores have an in-store dentist? Dental students also can give COVID vaccinations.
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by storewanderer »

Alpha8472 wrote: May 19th, 2021, 12:17 am California still has a statewide mask policy in place. However, I have seen a drastic increase in unmasked people. Previously, unmasked people were offered masks or told to put on masks. Now people are afraid to confront anyone.

The anti-mask people must be coming back to the stores in droves. Many of them were boycotting stores where people had to wear masks. You can tell, because the unmasked people are the rudest customers. They invade your personal space, reach right over, and grab the last item on the shelf. If they bump into you they do not say they are sorry. They are obnoxious.

I used to see most people in parking lots wearing masks, now virtually no one wears masks outdoors.

At most pharmacies, you are required to wear face shields or goggles, gloves, and a mask if you are giving a vaccination. The pharmacist probably was not following policy at all. In California, they are allowing Pharmacy Technicians to give COVID vaccinations instead of pharmacists. Perhaps, the employees need to be trained better as there seems to be multiple breaches of policy here. At Walmart, Pharmacists wear white coats. Pharmacy Technicians wear blue coats. I believe that the Optometrist or the dentist can give COVID vaccinations as well. Any of these Walmart stores have an in-store dentist? Dental students also can give COVID vaccinations.
It was a pharmacist- white coat. There were two blue coats present in the shot area as well; both had masks on. I was really surprised. I actually walked by there twice- once when I entered the store and again as I was leaving 15-20 minutes later, same thing. I was wondering if the pharmacist was wearing one of those masks that looks like a face but is actually a mask... but this wasn't the case. No dental clinics in the store. Some clinics operated by third party hospital/medical groups just leasing space in the stores though, like an urgent care.
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by Alpha8472 »

Stores dropping mask requirements probably want to go back to old times when people didn't wear masks and life was normal. However, this also means going back to when people caught colds, the flu, strep throat, pneumonia, etc. I really hated catching colds and the flu. Now without masks, many people will catch those old diseases again. There is no vaccine for the common cold, strep throat, or tuberculosis.

Stores really need to start cleaning their stores better as I would hate to catch strep throat from touching something. I also do not want to have to repeat that hospitalization I had for flesh eating bacteria. It is everywhere now.

I work in a pharmacy and our sales for cold medications have decreased. Dropping the mask requirement seems like it will increase the sales of cold medications. Pharmacies and drugstores survive on the huge sales of cough and cold medications. That is a huge chunk of where the profit comes from. These chain stores want people to get sick again. It drives up the sales of over the counter medications. It also increases the visits to doctors for prescriptions. The number of prescriptions for antibiotics at pharmacies had dropped significantly. People are living in a masked society and they are not catching other viruses as much as before.

The big chains want people to get sick. They want people to buy tons of medications and start filling prescriptions once again. Sick people increase sales. They want to bring back cold and flu season. It is all about making more money.

Doctors want people to come back for appointments. They thrive on sick patients. A doctor cannot stay in business without sick people. They want people to come in for prescriptions. Hospitals need sick people. They want to fill the hosital beds with patients. The CDC is controlled by doctors who need people to be sick. Without new diseases there would be no need for all those people employed by the CDC.
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Re: Stores Dropping Mask Requirements

Post by TW-Upstate NY »

Bottom line is this-MASKS WORK! End of story.
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