Grocery store workers are fearful of violent confrontations with shoppers over COVID-19 mask rules
As May began, Tidal Creek, a co-op marketplace in Wilmington, North Carolina, put a new rule into place: No mask, no service. The policy, which many other retailers across the country have also adopted, is meant to curb the spread of COVID-19, adding a level of protection for workers and customers alike. But some Americans are unwilling to wear a mask, saying the face coverings are uncomfortable or impinge upon their civil liberties.
Many shoppers are currently required by state, city or local regulations to wear masks or other facial coverings. But it’s largely been left to grocery store employees and other workers to enforce those rules, despite having little or no training on how to do so. “People are anxious about being in contact with others,” says Bill Hallan, president and CEO of the Michigan Retailers Association. “They’re nervous, and you don’t want a retail employee having to enforce the laws.
Debby Kavulish, a 62-year-old who’s been a cashier service manager at Neiman’s St. Clair location for 13 years, says she feels a little bit safer knowing the people who regularly shop there. “The group of customers that we have here, they’re like family,” she says. “They’ve been shopping here forever.” Still, the spat of violent incidents — especially the nearby Flint shooting — has alarmed her and the rest of the staff. “We all worry about it,” says Kavulish.
Marissa Baker, an assistant professor of occupational health sciences at the University of Washington, says the federal government could help by setting universal standards for mask-wearing requirements across states and cities, rather than the current patchwork approach. “We’re really lacking that federal presence to say, ‘here’s what you should be doing, here’s how you should be doing it,’” says Baker.
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