Several shoppers at the Walmart in Beavercreek said they were in favor of the new mask policy.
“I like it,” said Della Hedrington, “because you don’t know everybody who is in the store. Some people are bold and will go to the store when they’re sick and cough all over the place.”
Brett Rappold, who was also shopping at Walmart, said he doesn’t mind wearing a mask.
“I don’t mind at all. I think that this is a very small inconvenience to make a big difference,” Rappold said.
Walmart joined a long list of other stores requiring customers to wear masks.
Starting July 27, Aldi will also mandate that customers wear face masks. Bed, Bath and Beyond will require customers wear a mask starting Friday.
Target’s mandatory face mask policy will go into effect Aug. 1. Target will hand out masks at entrances to those who need them.
Shoppers have been required to wear masks to enter Costco and Apple stores across the nation since early May. Dollar Tree and Family Dollar also require customers to wear masks.
The National Retail Federation is encouraging retailers to set nationwide mask policies to protect shoppers and employees.
Starbucks, Best Buy and Kroger have also announced mandatory masks nationwide in recent days. Starbucks and Best Buy started requiring that customers wear masks on July 15.
Kroger’s new mask policy will take effect on Wednesday, July 22. Macy’s and Home Depot will also require face masks starting Wednesday.
Ruth Armhold, who was shopping at the Kroger on Spinning Road on Monday, said that she doesn’t mind wearing a face mask.
“I mean, everyone prefers not to wear one, but we have to learn to be flexible, we can’t replace lives,” Armhold said. “Every place where there are a lot of people should mandate masks, because it doesn’t help if some places don’t, but some places do.”
Another Kroger shopper, Chassidy Hill, said she doesn’t bring her kids out shopping with her because she has a son who is autistic who would not wear the mask.
“We need to be mindful of others who think they might get it. I don’t mind wearing it because it makes other people feel safe,” Hill said.
Some businesses that have not posted mask mandates may still require face coverings at stores located in one of the nineteen counties in Ohio that are currently under a Red Level Three public health emergency. Butler and Montgomery counties continue to be at a Level Three public health emergency.
On NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday morning, Gov. Mike DeWine said his administration is releasing an ad on Tuesday advocating Ohio residents wear masks whenever possible. The message, DeWine said, is that you wear the mask for other people. Getting people to buy in and to understand why wearing a mask is important is key, he added.
“Getting a 20-year-old to understand that he or she may feel invulnerable, nothing’s going to happen to them -- but they may get it, they may not know they have it. They may go home and see their grandmother. She may get it, she may end up dying,” DeWine told NBC’s Chuck Todd. “That’s the message that we’re trying to get out across the state of Ohio.”
More than 9,500 people have been hospitalized in Ohio since the pandemic hit the state and at least 3,174 residents have died from the virus.
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