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Our experience a couple hours ago after golf, at Subway in Pinellas Shopping Center. When we walked in one employee had a full mask and gloves on - the other (turned out to be the Supervisor) had NO mask. For those who don't know Subway layout, the employees stand behind all the meat/cheese/veggie selections.
The front is protected by glass, but the back is WIDE OPEN if the employees "spittle" while talking etc. In "normal" time...OK I guess, but COVID times....
We wrote this email to Subway Customer Service>>>

Only one of two employees at the Pinellas Plaza location in The Villages, FL was wearing a mask when we entered for lunch. I was waiting to place my order with the gal who was wearing a mask, when the second employee asked what I wanted. She was not wearing a mask and I asked her to do so. She complied, but stated that it was not required at that location. I would ask that you change that policy. We are an over-55 community, with most of the residents in the vulnerable class. The employees have an open buffet of vegetables and other ingredients in front of them. When they communicate with the customers they are speaking over the food, where particles of their saliva can fall onto it. If they are asymptomatic for Covid, the virus can easily spread.

We sat down to eat and other customers approached this gal, who, after serving 2 or 3 other customers with the mask under her nose (which does not protect anyone), took it off altogether to serve others in line. I was appalled. She evidently isn't well-informed about the purpose of the mask. Please review your policies in light of the current pandemic guidelines. If masks are not mandated for food service personnel (as well as gloves, which they did wear), I will not eat there again.

Interesting how some folks will complain about an incident in a business, and yet they do not walk out. Kind of like eating the whole meal and then complaining to the manager about it being cold or something.

Is the question, Should stores require masks, or do you mean should stores be mandated to require masks?

No really. An individual business has the right to REQUIRE masks and not serve you and some do despite what the Gov doesn't do. Off the top of my head that I have experienced: Costco, Trader Joe's, UPS Store, Starbucks (starting next week), Fresh Market, Disney Springs now, Disney World (if they open) next week. Costco will toss you out, most won't do that even if it was "required" but make sure to take a video when another customer complains to the person not wearing one. :D

My husband and I donated blood at the red bus. All of the health care workers wore masks, as did we and most of the other donors we saw waiting outside. There were four of us on the bus either in the process of donating or waiting to do so. A husband and wife wore no masks, nor did they limit their laughing and talking around everyone. I asked the nurse If masks were required and he said they were not allowed to Ask anyone to do so and were not allowed to turn anyone away. I told him I thought that it was very inconsiderate of people to put him and others at risk.

In Publix Lake Deaton Plaza just after 7am opening yesterday, all Publix employees and all customers I saw wore masks. Two men stocking bread shelves, touching all packages, did not. I pointed that out to a manager. His answer was “since they’re not Publix employees, we have no control.”

Come on...Publix is likely their largest customer and they have no control of their vendors? Unacceptable.

I totally agree.

We must face the facts of the world in which we now live.

More and more people are afraid to offend anyone and more and more people are afraid to have any type of confrontation with others. Also, more and more people have a 'the heck with you' attitude and more and more people have an 'it's all about me' attitude.

I do not think that businesses should be put in the position of pandemic control, especially when it involves requiring the use of homemade masks. But if they want to request that masks be worn in their stores, I would abide by their request.

I do not think that the government should mandate mask wearing.

I literally heard an infection disease physician state in a news article that he only wears a cloth mask to show that he cares. For him, it's nothing more than virtue signaling apparently.

I suppose that I care about others enough not to insult their intelligence and give them a false sense of security. But that's just me.

Yes, I saw at least one other store (maybe City Furniture?) with a sign that said "required masks." Yes, I think the stores need to step up their game and and make a mask a requirement for all. And maybe have some masks available for patrons who simply don't care enough bring one with them and for those who honestly forget their masks when leaving the house.

If you believe in masks, I think it is a great idea for stores to have masks available for customers who don't have one. They are very available and cheap now. And, stores have the right to require customers to wear a mask and to refuse entry to those that won't. I don't think that enforcing the rule would be difficult and it would not hurt business.

Should stores require masks?

Nope.

Can they?

Sure.