With new variant, masks are back
Aug. 5—MARIETTA — As spread of the Delta variant threatens to undo progress the U.S. has made in its fight against the coronavirus, national retailers are turning back to mask mandates in a bid to curb the virus' spread.
Cobb-based Home Depot is now requiring its workers and customers to mask up when indoors, regardless of vaccination status, as is fast food giant McDonald's. Walmart is among many businesses asking its workers to mask up in areas where community transmission is high and "strongly encouraging" that customers follow suit.
Many retailers relaxed their masking policies in the spring, when coronavirus cases were plummeting. In reversing course, most have either cited Centers for Disease Control guidance or the Delta variant, which is now the predominant variant in the U.S.
At the Walmart off Cobb Parkway in Marietta, customers bringing their shopping bags to their cars Tuesday afternoon said they supported the retailer's attempt to get customers to wear masks.
"I'm okay with it. I mean, you've got to protect yourself," said Angela Green. But she acknowledged it was a burden. "I work in a dental office all day, so I'm wearing it eight-plus hours. ... We got so used to not wearing it, and now we've got to go back to wearing it."
She isn't alone. According to a national poll of 804 adults conducted July 21-26 by Monmouth University, 52% of respondents back mask and social distancing mandates in their state, while 46% said they oppose such mandates. That survey was conducted before the CDC changed its guidance last week to recommend that people in communities with high COVID-19 transmission wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
Retailers cited that guidance when updating their masking policy in recent days.
"We remain focused on guidance issued by health experts, including the CDC, as well as state and local health departments," notes a July 30 company letter to Walmart's U.S. associates notifying them of updated mask requirements. "We will continue to follow the latest CDC guidance, which includes fully vaccinated people wearing masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission, effective immediately."
At the Cobb Parkway location Tuesday, most customers inside wore masks. Jose Cabrera, an associate there, said he figured it would take time for some customers to get used to wearing them again after months without.
Other customers who spoke to the MDJ Tuesday emerged from the store wearing masks and said they had never really stopped, even after most businesses had ceased to require them.
Paige Olive put it simply.
"It's a good idea," she said, "because COVID's still happening."
McClatchy Washington Bureau contributed to this report.
