Although Alabama, Mississippi and Texas will soon join more than a dozen other US states with no mask requirements across the state, many large retailers and employers are not ready to avoid mandatory facial coverage. amid a pandemic which killed more than 1,900 Americans on Thursday alone.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey is the last to indicate that masks will soon be optional in her state. Kay on Thursday extended the state mask requirement until April 9, when then she will let it go and leave the decision to the individuals.
The announcement by the Republican state leader came two days after the governors of Texas and Mississippi said they would waive the mandates of mask and allowing companies to operate at full capacity.
In decisions beaten as “Neanderthal thinking” by President Joe Biden, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, “We are ensuring that all businesses and families in Texas are free to determine their own destiny.” Meanwhile, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said he was “going out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do” by suspending masquerade mandates in the state.
Despite state policies, residents of Alabama, Texas and Mississippi will still need to wear masks if they want to enter many – but not all – supermarkets and other major retail chains. These retailers, which include Kroger, Target and Walgreens, cited guidelines from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue to require masks and take other measures to protect workers and consumers from the virus.
Albertsons Companies, one of the nation’s largest supermarket and drugstore chains, initially said it would abandon the requirement that customers wear face masks in their stores and that only 325,000 employees would still need to cover their faces. But the company revised its plans on Friday.
“Our frontline associates did not have full access to the vaccine. Subsequently, our stores and facilities in Texas will continue to require masks for associates, suppliers and customers, regardless of the mask’s mandate being withdrawn,” said a company spokesman in a statement sent by email, referring to the governor’s order in Texas, which takes effect on Wednesday, March 10.
Albertsons operates stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia with tracks that include 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 supermarkets and is among the 21 national chains and independent chains that participate in a federal program to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines in the USA
Other participants in the federal effort are not ready to allow customers to enter their stores and pharmacies without masks.
Magnolia Pharmacy in Magnolia, Texas, will continue to require masks “for the comfort of my staff and patients,” explained owner Steven Hoffart, who noted that the nature of the business means that sick people come in often. “It’s not really about COVID, it’s for the stomach, the flu, any illness, cough, cold – if I can prevent it from spreading to my team, that’s the biggest reason why we ask patients to wear masks,” he said. Hoffart.
A member of the Neighborhood Pharmacy Network at AmerisourceBergen, Hoffart’s pharmacy is currently immunizing between 100 and 150 people a day with federal and state government COVID-19 vaccines, a tiresome but joyful operation, which he describes as similar to a second deal.
Walgreens to continue kind reminders
“There is no change at this time in the company’s mask mandate policy or any current safety protocols that are in place in our stores or any workplaces to protect our customers and staff members. We are following the current CDC guidelines and OSHA regarding security protocols, “said a Walgreens spokesman by email.
The drugstore chain’s policy has always been “to kindly remind customers who are shopping without masks about the requirement, but out of concern for the safety of our employees, we do not prevent these customers from buying,” added a spokesman, referring to the hostile the reactions of store employees sometimes face when they try to impose mask rules on customers.
Another major pharmacy, CVS Health, will also maintain its facial 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 customer is not wearing a mask or facial cover, we will refer them to our signage and ask them to help protect themselves and the people around them, by listening to the experts and answering the call to use a facial cover,” he added. the spokesperson. “For security reasons, our employees are instructed to avoid escalated confrontations with delinquent customers and, instead, to help them complete their purchases as quickly as possible.”
Kroger, the country’s largest supermarket chain, “will continue to demand that everyone in our stores across the country wear masks until all of our supermarket frontline associates can receive the COVID-19 vaccine,” said a spokesman. voice to CBS MoneyWatch by email. The company said last month that it would give each of its 500,000 workers in 35 states $ 100 to be immunized against COVID-19.
Target is also complying with its requirement that customers and employees wear masks, including those who have been vaccinated against coronavirus, “according to current CDC guidelines,” a retailer spokesman said in an e-mail. The retailer makes an exception for those with underlying medical conditions and young children.
Customers who prefer not to wear masks can buy through Target’s contactless options, such as online shopping, the retailer added.
Aldi said he will maintain his national policy that requires his employees and customers to wear masks in his more than 2,000 supermarkets in 36 states.
“We are aware of the mask’s mandate surveys in Texas and Mississippi, where we have storage locations. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have followed the CDC guidelines and do not plan to make any adjustments to our security measures this time around. “an Aldi spokesman said by email.
A Home Depot spokesman said the retailer “requires associates and customers to wear masks while they are in our stores or at any Home Depot facility across the country. We will continue to follow CDC guidelines, as we have always done.”
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 can refuse entry or service to those who refuse to adhere to its policies. In addition, “it is your right to implement and enforce policies that protect the health and safety of your employees and customers,” a spokesman for the commercial group said in a statement.
HEB based in San Antonio, Texas, did not respond to a request for comment. But the supermarket chain, which employs more than 135,000 people in more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, appeared to have a softer stance when speaking to a local media outlet.
“Although there is no longer a mask order across the state, HEB believes it is important that masks are used in public spaces until more Texans and our partners have access to the Covid-19 vaccine,” said a spokesman for the mask. HEB to a Fox News affiliate. “HEB will still require all of our partners and suppliers to wear masks while working, and we ask all customers to wear a mask when they are in our stores.”