Private companies mask mandate

[angrychair]

While it may be unpopular to say it is no less true:

Mask mandates from private companies are little more than PR and an attempt to try and mitigate their potential legal exposure.

They have little to no intention to actively enforce that requirement. It is simply to allow them to say:
"We are very sorry Ms/Mr "X" got COVID-19 while in our store but we do have a mask requirement and we do social distancing, so we made every effort to mitigate risk of exposure"

No one is going to forcibly remove someone not wearing a mask...I would suspect in places like Walmart and Home Depot and in any location in a Republican leaning area the effort will be non existent but for a little cursory lip service.

Without a statewide or better yet federal effort to require masks and other coordinated efforts, the progress to get this under control will be slow at best, completely ineffective at worst.

[dawg]

1. Some, like Costco, have been actively enforcing.

They know that customers will stop coming to their stores if they don't feel safe.

It will be interesting to see what happens when Wal*Mart's mask order goes nationwide next week. (Not too many mask wearers at my local Wal*Mart recently.)

[hlthe2b]

2. NOT TRUE... Costco has been enforcing in its stores (throwing out) for months now.

When my community/county instituted a mandatory mask order several months ago (even with no statewide order), I witnessed assigned staff at Target, Walmart, Safeway, King Soopers and multiple other businesses enforcing the order and requiring customers not complying to leave. Community acceptance has improved over time, so I don't see as many of these instances, but they damned well DID enforce it, aided handily by fellow mask-wearing shoppers.

[angrychair]

10. Maybe in your community

But I dont believe the application of that real will be universally applied the same.

I don't doubt the sincerity of some people and businesses and that some states are truly doing everything they can.

The disconnect I have with the mindset that there is some universal acceptance of these mask measures in stores and their communities is the stalwart resistance by politicians, from school boards to the govenor, in many states to take any meaningful measures to slow or stop the spread of the virus, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that it is harming their communities.

We would not be in the situation we are in now if all it took were some stores to enact mask requirements because the will to do it must be driven from people understanding and believing it is real and a coordinated effort by state and federal government working to help people but that just isnt happening in far to many areas of the country

[gibraltar72]

3. I have a different take.

I think if it is storewide policy individual stores will have no wiggle room. I believe they are filling the vacuum created by Trump. They want to get back to something near normal. If people feel safe they will shop there. I hope that's what's happening at least.

[Mike 03]

4. It's kind of a wide net you are casting.

I know personally of some smaller private businesses in Scottsdale and Phoenix AZ that have strictly enforced mask-wearing, social distancing and remote working and it's not for the PR, it sincerely is so they can continue to provide the services they provide. One of the companies I'm thinking of set this policy way back in March. I can say the same for a law firm and an accounting firm nearby, although I can't say for certain when they began their policies.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Walmarts Near Me Are Enforcing It

I've seen it with my own eyes.
Guy at door told guy no mask, get out.
There was no room for negotiation.
"Get out."
Don't, the guy can call the cops because the punk was trespassing.
I'd be with you if stores were, in fact, not making an effort to enforce.
But, I've seen otherwise.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

6. The easiest way to deal with that issue is to refuse to sell products to.....

anyone observed in the store without a mask.

That would be hard to enforce for self-checkout but it could be done.

"We don't sell our products to anyone not honoring coronavirus safety rules"

KY

[Midnight Writer]

7. Retailers are trying to save their businesses. Online sales are exploding cause some folks...

are afraid to shop in stores.

If these stores lose even 10% of their customers, they are screwed.

And many customers will maintain the change in their shopping habits even if/after the crisis has passed.

[angrychair]

8. It's not that I don't see your point

Or that I doubt the sincerity of some people and businesses and that some states are truly doing everything they can.

The disconnect I have with the mindset that there is some universal acceptance of these mask measures in stores and their communities is the stalwart resistance by politicians, from school boards to the govenor, to take any meaningful measures to slow or stop the spread of the virus, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that it is harming their communities.

We would not be in the situation we are in now if all it took were some stores to enact mask requirements because the will to do it must be driven from people understanding and believing it is real and a coordinated effort by state and federal government working to help people but that just isnt happening in far to many areas of the country

[GulfCoast66]

9. Respectfully, I disagree.

They have finally realized that until the virus is under control the economy will never recover.

And have decided the government in too many places will do nothing.

[angrychair]

11. You're touching on my main point

And have decided the government in too many places will do nothing.

That government is not some amorphous entity but a empirical reflection of the community they serve.

While some may not like the answer, it is true none the less: if your government, from the school board to the governor, is not actively supporting the mitigation of this virus, it's not their fault but the fault of the community, the people, those politicians serve. This is especially true the more local that government becomes (meaning a city council is far more reflective of a given community than a US senator).
If a vocal majority in a community does not support these measures than any and all politicians are going to play the middle and minimize risk of alienating themselves from any potential voters.

[rownesheck]

12. The only way to enforce this

without putting employees at risk of a violent encounter with a maskless customer, is to have police officers at every retailer specifically to enforce it. Additionally, every mandate I've seen states people must wear a mask "unless doing so would be detrimental to your health." What's to stop anyone not wearing a mask from saying, "I can't wear a mask because it's detrimental to my health."?

I hate people who go out without a mask, but I'm not about to get into a physical altercation with some dumbfuck who refuses to wear one.

Until these assholes start getting arrested for actions detrimental to public health, mask mandates will only be seen as a suggestion.