While Alabama, Mississippi and Texas will soon join more than a dozen other U.S. states with no mask requirements across the state, many large retailers and entrepreneurs are not prepared to cover their faces compulsorily. in the midst of a pandemic which killed more than 1,900 Americans on Thursday alone.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is the latest to point out that masks will soon be optional in their state. Home Thursday expanded the state mask requirement until April 9, when it will let it expire and leave the decision in the hands of individuals.
The announcement by the Republican state leader came two days after the governors of Texas and Mississippi said they would dispense with mask warrants and allowing companies to operate at full capacity.
In decisions shocked as “Neanderthal thought” by President Joe Biden, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, “We make sure all Texas businesses and families are free to determine their own destiny.” Meanwhile, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said he “went out of business to tell people what he can and can’t do” by lifting mask mandates to the state.
Despite their state policies, residents of Alabama, Texas, and Mississippi will still have to wear masks if they want to enter many supermarkets and other large retail chains, but not all. These retailers, which include Kroger, Target, and Walgreens, cited guidelines from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue requiring masks and take other measures to protect workers and consumers from the virus.
Albertsons Companies, one of the largest supermarket and pharmacy chains in the country, initially said it would no longer meet its requirements for customers to wear masks to its stores and that only 325,000 workers would still have to cover their faces. But the company revised its plans on Friday.
“Our front-line associates have not had full access to the vaccine. Subsequently, our stores and facilities in Texas will continue to require masks for associates, vendors and customers regardless of the mandate that has been lifted,” said one the company spokesman in an emailed statement, referring to the governor’s order in Texas, which will go into effect Wednesday, March 10th.
Albertsons operates stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia under banners such as Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. The company also manages more than 1,700 pharmacies in its grocery stores and is among the 21 national chains and independent networks involved in a federal program to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines across the United States
Other participants in the federal effort are not prepared to allow customers to enter their stores and pharmacies without masks.
Magnolia Pharmacy in Magnolia, Texas, will continue to need masks “for the convenience of my staff and my patients,” said owner Steven Hoffart, who noted that the nature of the business means sick people often enter. “It’s not really about COVID, it’s for the stomach bug, the flu, any illness, cough, a cold; if I can prevent it from spreading to my staff, that’s the most important reason we ask patients wearing masks, ”Hoffart said.
A member of AmerisourceBergen’s Good Neighbor pharmacy network, Hoffart Pharmacy currently vaccinates between 100 and 150 people a day with COVID-19 vaccines from the federal and state governments, a tired but joyful operation that it describes as similar to the realization of a second business.
Walgreens to continue with soft reminders
“At this time there are no changes to the company’s mask warrants policy or current security protocols in our stores or any workplace to protect our customers and members of the We follow current CDC and OSHA guidelines on safety protocols, “a Walgreens spokesman said in an email.
The pharmacy chain’s policy has been to “gently remind customers who buy without masks the requirement, but out of concern for the safety of our employees, we do not prevent these customers from making purchases,” a spokesman added, referring to the hostile. The reactions that warehouse store employees sometimes have when trying to apply mask rules to customers.
Another major pharmacy, CVS Health, will also maintain its face coverage policy in stores across the country, with a CVS Health spokesman citing “strong scientific evidence that masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19.” .
“If a client does not wear a mask or face mask, we will refer them to our signage and ask them to help protect themselves and those around them by listening to the experts and answering the call to wear a face mask,” added the spokesman. . “For security reasons, our employees are committed to avoiding intense confrontations with customers who do not meet the requirements and helping them complete their purchases as quickly as possible.”
Kroger, the country’s largest supermarket chain, “will continue to require everyone in our stores across the country to wear masks until all of our top grocery partners can receive the COVID-19 vaccine,” said one spokesman for CBS MoneyWatch by email. Last month, the company said it would give each of its 500,000 workers in 35 states $ 100 to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Target also meets its requirement that customers and workers wear masks, including coronavirus vaccinations, “in accordance with current CDC guidelines,” a retail spokesman said in an email. The retailer makes an exception for those with underlying medical conditions and young children.
Customers who prefer not to wear masks can shop through Target’s contactless options, such as shopping online, the retailer added.
Aldi said he will continue with his national policy of requiring his workers and customers to wear masks at his more than 2,000 grocery stores in 36 states.
“We are aware of mandatory mask lifts in both Texas and Mississippi, where we have store locations. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been following CDC guidelines and have no plans to make any adjustments to our measures. security this time, ”an Aldi spokesman said in an email.
A Home Depot spokesman said the retailer “requires associates and customers to wear masks in our stores or at any Home Depot facility across the country. We will continue to follow CDC guidelines, as we have done throughout the time “.
Costco, Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Whole Foods did not respond to requests for comment.
The National Retail Federation issued a statement reiterating that retail stores are private entities that may refuse entry or service to those who refuse to comply with its policies. In addition, “it is within its right to implement and enforce policies that protect the health and safety of its employees and its customers,” a business group spokesman said in a statement.
HEB based in San Antonio, Texas, did not respond to a request for comment. But the grocery chain, which employs more than 135,000 people in more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, seemed to take a softer stance when talking to a local media outlet.
“While there is no longer a statewide order of masks, HEB believes it is important that masks be worn in public spaces until more jeans and our partners have access to the Covid-19 vaccine,” he said. a HEB spokesman at a Fox News subsidiary. “HEB will still require all of our partners and suppliers to wear masks while they work and we urge all customers to wear a mask to our stores.”