Businesses requiring customers to buy face masks on entry (Tulsa: home, school)

[Boxman]

It is common for businesses (in Oklahoma) to require customers buy a mask (if they're not already wearing one) before entering the building? So far, I've only encountered this at Moore Liquor, an establishment I've always liked (I'm not singling them out, just using them as an example). I tried to go there today, for the first time since COVID-19 madness swept the nation. They demanded I buy a face mask (for which they only charge*$1.00). Not having encountered this anywhere else but the barber shop (where the customer and the employee are really close to each other) I was surprised and asked to speak to the manager. I then spoke to the owner and asked him if this policy had been forced on him by the authorities. He told me he was doing this voluntarily, to which I argued that in such a setting, the science doesn't really support the idea that both customers and employees need to be masked, that this only makes sense in settings where you have close contact. He disagreed without really explaining why, and I didn't feel like arguing so I told him "with all due respect, I'm not going to reward that kind of paranoia. I'd rather shop here, but will have to go buy my liquor elsewhere. Sorry." He admitted that he's losing 10% of his customers because of this. So I drove a mile up the street and bought my specialty beer at another liquor store.

I get that most of America has bought into the exaggerated fearmongering over coronavirus, and I sympathize with businesses being saddled with requirements like having employees masked, social distancing, etc. I feel bad for the financial hit that businesses are taking, especially the locally owned stores and restaurants that really can't shrug off these losses the way the big chains can.

Ok, so I won't get into why I think this entire lockdown is over done and mostly based on irrational fear as opposed to sound science. That's a whole separate discussion which I'm sure has been debated on this forum already. My only question is, is it reasonable to demand customers mask up? IMO it's over the top, but am I the a**hole here? Ya'll being mostly fellow Oklahomans on this subforum, I'm just curious what the general consensus is.

[StillwaterTownie]

I don't mind if businesses or city governments require customers to mask up. This is because I don't know how my body will respond to the coronavirus when infected by it. Will it be mild or will I need to end up at the hospital in ICU? Being sick and helpless in a hospital is what would really rob all my freedom and liberty, not any requirement to wear a mask. It's a simple public health issue, not a political issue. Will the politicians, such as Trump, who want to make it a political issue, have second thoughts about it, if they end up sick with the virus in the hospital?

In Stillwater, stores, restaurants and bars have been closing again, due to employees out with the virus and other employees needing to go on quarantine. Even Habitat For Humanity had to close. My guess is that employees had to wear a mask on the job but didn't bother to off the job. I don't know how bad things are going to get.

[sweet~d]

As someone born and raised in OKC (MLK all day) and have lived in East Asia the past 5 years it's pretty damn reasonable for most business to require to wear a mask when you enter. In fact it should be a state wide law that people wear mask in most buildings and when they are in public in most places near people. It's not an irrational fear 120,000 people have died in the US and compared to other countries the cases are increases it will only get worse from hear on out.

But to your question it's reasonable to ask customers and employee's to mask considering the length of the incubation period and the fact that the Covid grow exponentially so right now we are 450 a day then in maybe 8 more days we will be at 900 a day then 11 days after that we will be at 1800 then close to 30 days from now we will be at 3600. Do you see where I'm getting at with this so unless people wear a mask when they are in public then more people will die. We will most likely have to shut down again if we sit back and allow it to get out of control.

If you don't believe the science then check data from the Department of Health Hong Kong, Ministry of Health in Singapore, Ministry of Health in Malaysia, Health Canada, Federal Office of Public Health and a long list of other governmental health departments all around the world as well in America (even Oklahoma). Buy yourself a mask and wear it when you go out. It's not that hard and it wouldn't hurt you it doesn't get that hot in Oklahoma in the summer. Yes you are being a bit of an a$$ here but as long as its not required by law then do what ever you want.

[Threestep2]

As long as a business owner applies the same requirements to all customers - it is his business.



If it is fearmongering - that is your opinion. Ask those who are six feet under what they thought - that is my opinion. Throwing a tantrum over this is childish in my book.


No, I have not encountered mask requirement anywhere in my area of OK.

[swake]

Costco in Tulsa requires masks, but they give you one free if you aren't wearing one.

[Boxman]

Originally Posted by swake

Costco in Tulsa requires masks, but they give you one free if you aren't wearing one.

This seems like the best approach, and one that any reasonable person could live with.

BTW is this forum dying? It seems to be...

[Oklazona Bound]

Originally Posted by Boxman

My only question is, is it reasonable to demand customers mask up? IMO it's over the top, but am I the a**hole here? Ya'll being mostly fellow Oklahomans on this subforum, I'm just curious what the general consensus is.

Of course. Perhaps the business wants to protect its employees from people like you who don't seem to get we are in the middle of a pandemic. You realize they have to deal with probably hundreds of people a day. Just one who is carrying the virus and does not have a mask on could infect people working in the store and then the employee brings it home to their family.

I always carry a mask in my truck. I wear one when I go into businesses now. I was brought up to treat others with respect. Wearing a mask means you respect the lives of others around you. If I am going into a store to just buy a couple items the mask is only on for a minute tops. If everyone just did this we would have covid-19 beat in now time.

[Oklazona Bound]

Originally Posted by sweet~d

But to your question it's reasonable to ask customers and employee's to mask considering the length of the incubation period and the fact that the Covid grow exponentially so right now we are 450 a day then in maybe 8 more days we will be at 900 a day then 11 days after that we will be at 1800 then close to 30 days from now we will be at 3600. Do you see where I'm getting at with this so unless people wear a mask when they are in public then more people will die. We will most likely have to shut down again if we sit back and allow it to get out of control.

As a person who splits my time in Oklahoma and Arizona your numbers are right. Arizona went from 100-200 cases a day to 500 to 1000 and now close to 4,000 in just a few weeks. Now they are shutting lots of businesses down and delaying the school year. Cities are mandating masks. I am afraid this is the future for Oklahoma unless people step up and put on a mask. My town in Oklahoma at Walmart I have noticed more people wearing masks. It seemed like less than half now I would say close to 70%. They say you get to 80-90% the virus slows way down in spread.