For anyone who wasn’t already aware, the U.S. Costco company has recently announced a new policy in which they require any customers or employees to wear face masks before stepping foot inside a warehouse location in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
But in the spirit of the ongoing pandemic, some people weren’t too thrilled to hear their favorite go-to grocery chain for weekend bulk-buys is enforcing such a rule on its customers.
So naturally, rather than quietly find somewhere else to shop, they took to social media to make their outrage known.
Information about the coronavirus pandemic is rapidly changing and Diply is committed to providing the most recent data as it becomes available. Some of the information in this story may have changed since publication, and we encourage readers to use online resources from CDC and WHO to stay up to date on the latest information surrounding COVID-19.
One Twitter user named Talia recently went viral after venting her upset on the social media site.
Alongside a snapshot of a sign at her local Costco informing its customers of the new policy change, Talia wrote, “Adios #Costco! Won’t be renewing my membership!”
She went on to say that she refuses to don a face mask, insisting they pose serious “health risks” due to oxygen deprivation, and added that this policy actually violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
It’s certainly worth noting that Costco’s face mask policy explicitly exempts young children and people with medical conditions.
Specifically, the press release posted by the company regarding masks states, “This requirement does not apply to children under the age of 2 or to individuals who are unable to wear a face covering due to a medical condition.”
It also goes on to discourage customers from considering the masks to be a substitute for social distancing.
RELATED STORIES
Since it was posted on April 28, Talia’s tweet has racked up hundreds of comments from users, many of whom don’t agree with her sentiments towards Costco.
“Something tells me your oxygen levels are already at critically low levels,” this person commented, while another added, “You won’t be missed!”
“Proud to support a fine organization that takes their employees health and customers health seriously,” one user wrote, “Not too surprised by some of the comments in opposition. Thankfully for my family’s health, you won’t be shopping alongside us. Much appreciated.”
Talia isn’t the only former Costco customer publicly voicing their anger towards the new policy online.
This unnamed man’s Facebook post was shared on Reddit in the subreddit r/cringepics.
Alongside a photo of himself wearing a shirt displaying a face mask that reads, “I Refuse To Comply”, he wrote about his outrage regarding being required to wear face masks inside places like Costco.
In his rant, the man blasts “sheeple” who he believes are being misled by the country’s coronavirus response.
“Here I am in 2020 as a perfectly health adult male with a mild alcohol problem and I’m being told I HAVE to cover my face,” he writes, “I’m treated like an outcast in stores and people cross to the other side of the street when they see me.”
“I will not comply,” he continues, “I will not be one of [you] sheep who blindly follows the crowd with no reason other than ‘they told me to’.”
On Reddit, the man’s furious post has pretty much received the same response as Talia’s has on Twitter.
“Imagine wearing a shirt that says you don’t like masks instead of just a mask,” this Reddit user said, while another added, “It’s a face mask, homie. Chill.”
Someone else replied, “Imagine your pride hinging on whether or not you protect yourself from a deadly virus.”
On both Reddit and Twitter, one thing commenters have tried to make absolutely clear to these outraged customers is that the masks are not to protect *them*.
“I live in Japan and I wear a mask all the time when I’m in a store or on public transportation,” this Twitter user told Talia. “It’s how we take care of each other. You wear a mask to protect others.”
Unmoved, Talia responded, “You wear a mask to prove you’re a sheep that [fears] whatever your television tells you to fear.”
Others spoke up to point out that wearing a mask isn’t really that huge of an ask, particularly if it has the potential to save people.
“No one is doing or preventing you from doing anything to or with your body,” this person wrote, “You are being asked to put something on your body in the same way that you have to wear clothes when you go outside.”
They added, “I swear this coronavirus must be a Darwinian event.”
One person’s reaction to the Costco face mask outrage suggested putting the argument into a different perspective.
Heidi Freymiller’s take was shared widely on Facebook and Twitter, as again people argued that wearing face masks is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
And some actually welcomed and encouraged those outraged at Costco’s decision to shop elsewhere.
Costco has yet to make any kind of a follow-up statement on the situation. Given that the stores haven’t even opened up with the new policy in place yet, it’s hard to know whether all the outrage will remain online or carry over into real life. It’s a situation that clearly bears watching, however.
h/t: Distractify
