WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – Thursday, there is a growing number of new mandates from states and some major retailers requiring people wear masks in public. This as coronavirus cases top 3.5 million nationally, with 138,000 deaths. The CDC says time is of the essence.
America’s biggest retail giant is putting its foot down about masks. Starting Monday, Walmart and Sam’s Club will mandate facial coverings, saying in a statement: “Because the virus can be spread by people who don’t have symptoms and don’t know they are infected, it’s critically important for everyone to wear a face covering in public…”
More than a third of Walmart’s 5,000 stores are in areas with no mask order. Now, every store will have an employee stationed out front to enforce the mask rule.
Kroger supermarkets also announced they will require masks starting next Wednesday. This comes as sky-rocketing infections push more states to issue their own mandates, like Texas, where the governor hopes to avoid drastic action.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, “All we need is for people to wear a mask. If everyone wears a mask nothing will be locked down.”
Alabama is the latest to order masks in public after cases there spiked over 70% in the last two weeks.
Alabama doctor David Thrasher said wearing a mask shouldn’t be a debate. “I get pretty emotional about this,” he said. “It’s so political now. It shouldn’t be us versus them.”
Still, not everyone’s convinced about the urgency of wearing masks.
In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp on Wednesday explicitly banned cities and counties from ordering people there to wear masks in public.
Critics also blame the president, who repeatedly is seen in public without a mask.
In Oklahoma — where cases are surging and the governor himself just tested positive — there’s still no mask order. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt stated he’s “not thinking about a mask mandate at all.”
Walmart’s policy follows other household names like Costco, Apple, Best Buy and Starbucks.
So far reaction among customers is mixed.
A new Gallup poll finds that while most Americans say they wear masks in public. 14% report they “never” wear one.
The CDC is now pleading with the public to comply, saying masks are a key to stopping this pandemic.
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfeld said, “I think if we could get everyone to wear a mask right now, I really do think in the next 4, 6, 8 weeks we could bring this epidemic under control.”
Walmart’s decision comes as much of a protective measure for its own employees as it is for customers. A national retail federation applauded this move. They have been lobbying the Trump administration and governors across the country for weeks to try to make this a national standard.
It is a privilege, not a right to be able to shop inside of stores right now.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.