“People (and businesses) are putting it back on their windows, like they did in Columbus,” said Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley. “We’ll continue to message it ... it’s hard through this pandemic, because the rules do change, but regardless of what the law is, you should just follow what the CDC guidelines are and you’ll be fine.”
A week ago, the Dayton City Commission once again approved an ordinance requiring people to wear masks or facial coverings while inside public spaces within city limits, including at shops and stores.
Since then, the Dayton Daily News has visited more than two dozen businesses across the city and found that roughly between one-quarter to three-fifths of customers at many establishments were not wearing masks while inside.
This newspaper visited grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, clothing retailers, convenience stores, liquor stores, laundry mats and other businesses.
At a few places, everyone inside were masked. At a few others ― including at several gas stations and a self-serve laundry mat ― every customer did not have a facial covering.
At a gas station near the University of Dayton, all of the employees and the customers were not wearing masks.
On Tuesday, Tony Dalton, 58, of Dayton, did not wear a mask when he bought a few items from a discount “dollar” store in East Dayton.
About half of the customers in the store around the time of his visit were maskless.
Dalton said he usually wears a mask while shopping, but it slipped his mind.
Dalton, who was sick with COVID-19 a few months ago, said he did not know masks were required by city ordinance but he wants to comply with the law and generally believes a mask requirement could be beneficial.
“I didn’t hear about it,” he said, later adding, “But every little bit helps.”
Other maskless shoppers also told this newspaper they did not know about the city’s ordinance, but most claimed they often wear facial coverings in public settings and won’t forget to mask up in the future.
Kroger has posted notices on its entrance doors at its three Dayton locations saying local ordinance requires face coverings to be worn.
“In accordance with the recent city mandate all individuals are required to wear a mask while in our Dayton store locations,” said Jenifer Moore, corporate affairs manager with Kroger.
But roughly between one-fifth to one-third of shoppers at a couple of Krogers in Dayton were not wearing masks earlier this week, during afternoon shopping hours.
Customers are strongly encouraged to wear masks to protect themselves and others and to curb the spread of COVID-19, Moore said, and masks are available at store service counters for customers who need one.
Some stores and their employees ask customers politely to don a mask while shopping. Others take a different approach.
Rite Aid does not have a company-wide mask requirement for customers, but they are required in areas where they are mandated by local authorities, including in Dayton, said Brad Ducey, senior manager of external communications with Rite Aid.
Associates are not asked to enforce requirements out of an abundance of caution for their safety, but signage and in-store announcements remind customers of the mandates, Ducey said.
When this newspaper visited a couple of Rite Aids in Dayton recently, about one-quarter of customers were not wearing masks.
Dayton’s mask regulation is enforced on a complaint basis. Citizens can report potential violations to police, but city officials ask citizens not to confront other community members.
Businesses and their employees also can report violations.
The Dayton Police Department earlier this week said so far it had received zero complaints about noncompliance with the mask mandate.
Still, some people are knowingly not following the masking law, similar to how some motorists choose to drive above the speed limit, said Mayor Whaley.
The mandate set standards intended to help protect the community, Whaley said, and everyone should follow the rules for their own safety and the safety of others.
Whaley said she thinks most people know about the mask requirement by this point, especially since there was a great deal of publicity and news coverage last week.
An unscientific online poll of about 350 Dayton Daily News readers found that nearly 95% became aware of the reinstated mask mandate within days.
Also, poll-takers were basically split on whether they supported the mandate and thought it would be helpful.
Whaley said there has been a deluge of information about safety protocols that can be tricky to keep up with, but she said the easiest thing to do is follow CDC guidelines.
Everyone should wear masks while inside businesses and other places regardless of whether or not it is required and regardless of vaccination status, said Dan Suffoletto, a spokesman with Public Health ― Dayton & Montgomery County.
The city’s ordinance requires face coverings in indoor spaces that are open to public, unless people are actively eating, drinking or exercising.
Exceptions are made for people with medical and mental health conditions and some developmental disabilities.
About the Author
