LIST: You must wear a face cover when visiting these stores
A man filmed the tense encounter with other shoppers on July 19, which he said flared up after asking one of them why she entered the store without a mask.
On July 15, Walmart announced a policy that requires customers to wear masks while in the store. However, Walmart said the policy will not apply until July 20 to give it time to “inform customers and members of the changes, post posters and train associates on the new protocols.”
In the video filmed by Brian Campbell-Miller, he stands in line behind a woman and her two children, neither of whom is wearing a mask.
He told ABC7 News: “She says, ‘Well, I’m not sick,’ and I said, ‘Well, you know, you don’t always show symptoms when you’re sick.’ And it’s about being polite.”
FULL VIDEO: The dispute over wearing face masks at the Martinez Walmart store goes viral
The woman is captured and says to Campbell-Miller: “If it really mattered, the masks you are wearing … We would all wear the same mask, if it mattered! You can put me on Facebook, I don’t care.”
ABC7 Special Correspondent Dr. Alok Patel chimed in after watching the viral video.
“First of all, masks are a physical barrier. We know they work,” said Dr. Patel.
“And different types of masks work differently, so you see people in cloth masks, you see people in home-sewn masks, and you see medical-grade masks. The physical barrier is what works,” he told ABC7 News. . “That’s like saying, ‘Hey, we all wear the exact same helmet.’ No, there are different types of helmets.”
VIDEO: Who is exempt from California’s mandatory mask mandate? Stanford doctor explains
The rapidly escalating situation caught the attention of two other women, who were also not wearing masks.
“Stay home if you’re so scared,” said one, moments before accusing Campbell-Miller of destroying “this country.” Another calls him “Antifa” and addresses the word “brainwashing.”
Dr. Patel added: “It’s the other way around. If you don’t wear a mask, unfortunately, you should be the one to stay home … because you run the risk of making people around you sick. It’s not necessarily the law, but it’s a business policy. So maybe you shouldn’t go to that business. “
RELATED: British Coronavirus Patient Has Urgent Warning For Anyone Who Doesn’t Take The Virus Seriously
Later, the first woman can be heard telling another client with children that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that “children should not wear masks.”
Patel chimed in: “The CDC actually says that children under the age of two should not wear a mask. In the video, those children in the video are clearly over the age of two and should wear a mask. That’s another great one we should talk about. reopening schools. So no, the CDC doesn’t say that. “
“This video is only two minutes long and illustrates the extent to which misinformation can lead to people,” he continued.
VIDEO: Complete verification of Dr. Patel in a viral video of the Walmart mask dispute
The woman is also heard saying to the man, “You are getting sick from wearing the mask.”
“That is unequivocally false,” Dr. Patel told ABC7 News. “Wearing a mask won’t make you sick anymore. And if you need tests, go talk to someone like a surgeon who wears a mask for hours a day, for years. It won’t make you sick.”
As of July 21, the United States had the highest number of COVID-19-related deaths globally, with the John Hopkins University coronavirus tracker registering a total of 140,909 deaths.
App users: for a better experience, click here to view the full map in a new window
Campbell-Miller said he will continue to speak, especially when his health and safety are at stake.
“I needed to do something about it, so that other people know that this is not right,” he said. “And Walmart needs to step up and enforce its policies if they want to have them.”
Campbell-Miller admitted, “There were some employees, Walmart employees, who were trying to talk to her. But at no time did anyone say you should go, let us escort you from the facility. And sure, the security guard wasn’t taking him in absolute. “
RELATED: South Bay Teacher Who Allegedly Cough With Baby in Yogurtland Loses Job
“It seemed like he hadn’t received any training on what his store’s policy was or how they were supposed to be applying it,” he continued. “Because, according to her, he let her in. He just told me to stop recording.”
In a statement, Walmart told ABC7 News, “” It is unfortunate that a person behaves this way in our store. We appreciate our customers who take the health and safety of others seriously. “
ABC7 News followed up to ask what responsibility the company had in this matter and how it plans to maintain its own policies.
This story will be updated to reflect any response from Walmart.
If you have any questions or comments about the coronavirus pandemic, please submit yours via the form below or here.
Get the latest news, information and videos on the new coronavirus pandemic hereRELATED STORIES AND VIDEOS:
Copyright © 2020 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.
.
