While Alabama, Mississippi and Texas will soon have more than a dozen other U.S. without state mask requirements. States will join, many large retailers and employers are not ready to cover the mandatory face. Between epidemics Which killed more than 1,900 Americans on Thursday alone.
Alabama Governor K Ivy will be the latest signal mask to be optional in his state. Thursday that Extended state mask requirement Until April 9, at that point she would let him pause and leave the decision to the individuals.
The Republican state leader’s announcement comes two days after the governors of Texas and Mississippi said they would distribute with the mask order and Allowing industries to operate at full capacity.
In decisions Criticism as “Neanderthal thinking” “We’re making sure all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to set their own goals,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said through President Bn Biden. Central Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said he was stepping out of the business of telling people carrying the mask mandate in the state “what they can and can’t do.”
Despite their state policies, residents of Alabama, Texas and Mississippi will be required to wear face masks if they want to set foot inside many – but not all – supermarkets and other large retail chains. Those retailers, which include Kroger, Target and Waggreens, are based in the U.S. Guidelines were cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue the need for masks and to take other measures to protect workers and consumers from the virus.
One of the country’s largest supermarket and pharmacy chains, Albertson companies initially said customers wear face masks in its stores and only its 325,000 workers need to cover their faces. But the company revised its plans on Friday.
“Our front-line affiliates do not have full access to vaccines. Subsequently, our stores and facilities in Texas will need masks for affiliates, vendors and customers regardless of lifting the mask mandate,” a company spokesman said. An email statement, referring to the governor’s order in Texas, effective Wednesday, March 10.
Albertson operates stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia with banners such as Albertson, Safeway, Vance, Jewel-Sc, Schoes, Ekme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarket, Pavilions, Star Market, Hagen and Cars. The company also operates more than 1,700 pharmacies in its grocery store, and one of 21 participating national chains and independent networks. U.S. Increase access to COVID-19 vaccines in the Federal Program
Other participants in the federal effort are unwilling to allow customers to enter their stores and pharmacies without masks.
Magnolia Pharmacy in Magnolia, Texas will need a mask “for the comfort of my staff and patients,” explained owner Steven Hoffart, who noted that the nature of the business meant that sick people walked frequently. “It’s not really about covid, it’s for stomach upset, flu, any illness, cough, cold – if I can stop it from spreading to my staff, that’s the biggest reason we ask patients to wear masks,” Hoffart said.
A member of the Good Neighbor Pharmacy Network in Amerisoursburg, Hoffert Pharmacy currently vaccines 100 to 150 people a day with Covid-19 vaccines from the federal government and the state, a tedious but enjoyable operation that is tantamount to running another business.
Vagrains for continuing gentle reminders
“At this time there are no changes to the company’s mask mandate policy or any ongoing security protocols in any store or workplace to protect our customers and team members. We are following current CDC and OSHA guidelines regarding the safety protocol,” a Walgreens spokesman said in an email. Was.
Referring to the protest, the spokesperson added that the drug store’s channel policy “politely reminds customers who buy without a mask about the need, but because of the safety concerns of our employees, we will not stop these customers from buying,” a spokesman said. . Store employees sometimes face difficulties when trying to enforce mask rules with customers.
Another major pharmacy, CVS Health, will also have a policy to cover its face at stores across the country, with a CVS Health spokesperson saying “strong scientific evidence that the mask helps prevent the spread of COVD-19.”
The spokesperson added, “If a customer does not wear a mask or face covering, we will refer them to our sign and help protect them and those around them by listening to them and the experts and hearing the sound of covering the face,” the spokesperson added. . “For safety reasons, our employees are directed to avoid increasing confrontations with innocent customers and instead help them complete their purchases as quickly as possible.”
The country’s largest supermarket chain Kroger will require everyone in our stores across the country to wear masks until all of our frontline grocery partners can get the COVID-19 vaccine, ”a spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch in an email. Each will give 500,000 workers $ 100 to be immunized Against COVID-19.
The target adheres to the requirement that customers and workers wear masks, including those who have been vaccinated for coronavirus, “according to current CDC guidelines,” a retailer spokesman said in an email. The retailer makes exceptions to those underlying medical conditions and young children.
Reporters added that patrons who do not prefer to wear masks may purchase non-contact options, such as shopping online.
Aldi said it will stick with its nationwide policy that requires its workers and customers to wear masks at more than 2,000 grocery stores in its 36 states.
“We are aware of Mask Mandate lifts in both Texas and Mississippi where we have store locations. We have been following the CDC guidelines since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, and we do not plan to make any adjustments to our safety measures. This time,” Aldi’s spokesperson said. Said in an email.
A Home Depot spokesman said the retailer “requires associates and customers to wear masks when our stores or Home Depot facilities are across the country. We will continue to follow the CDC guidelines, as we have done everything.”
Consco, Merchant J’s, Walmart and Whole Foods did not respond to requests for comment.
A statement issued by the National Retail Federation reiterated that retail stores are private entities that refuse to comply with their policies and may be denied entry or service. Further, “they have the right to enforce and enforce policies that protect the health and safety of their employees and their customers,” a trade group spokesman said in a statement.
HBA, based in San Antonio, Texas, did not respond to a request for comment. But the grocery chain, which employs more than 135,000 people at more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, seems to be taking a softer line in talking to local media outlets.
“Although there is no longer a statewide order for masks, HEB believes it is important to wear masks in public places until more Texans and our partners consume the Covid-19 vaccine,” a HEB spokesperson told Fox News affiliate. “All of our partners and vendors will be required to wear masks while HEB is still at work, and we urge our customers to wear masks when they are in our stores.”
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