Although the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the United States for months, Worldometers reported that cases seem to be spiking as rapidly as ever with tens of thousands of new cases developing nationwide on a daily basis.
For that reason, 27 states , the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are now requiring their citizens to wear face masks as a means of reducing the spread of the disease while out in public.
And considering that they’re a key source of essentials the public needs to sustain their lives during this pandemic, a growing number of retailers such as Walmart and Costco are implementing their own policies requiring customers to wear masks.
And as we’re about to see, that number is getting larger all the time.
Starting on August 1, all Target locations will require customers to wear a mask.
As CNN Business reported , this comes as a means of harmonizing the company’s mask policy in light of the fact that 80% of their stores already require them in accordance with local and state regulations.
A representative from Target has also said they will provide disposable masks at the door if customers turn up without them.
This July 16 announcement came at the same time as a similar change in policy from the CVS pharmacy chain.
In a statement reported by NPR, they said, “With the recent spike in COVID-19 infections, we’re joining others in taking the next step and requiring all customers to wear face coverings when entering any of our stores throughout the country effective Monday, July 20.”
CVS has also stated that their new policy does not amount to asking employees to “play the role of enforncer.”
As they said , “What we are asking is that customers help protect themselves and those around them by listening to the experts and heeding the call to wear a face covering.”
Considering how some customers have been documented as reacting to store mask mandates, however, there’s a distinct possibly that employees will end up stuck in that enforcement position more often than CVS representatives appear to hope they will.
These mask policies come a day after Walmart, Kohl’s and Kroger’s all announced they too would require masks in all stores.
As NPR reported , Walmart’s decision was introduced as a way to make inter-store policies consistent as 65% of both Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations are already requiring customers to wear masks.
As is the case with Target, this was done in compliance with municipal and state government mandates.
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Although no federal policy on masks exists at this time, these requirements by some states and many retail chains fall in line with CDC recommendations.
According to CNN Business, they urge the public to wear at least a cloth face covering when out in public as a means of protecting others from the potential asymptomatic spread of the coronavirus.
h/t: CNN Business , NPR
