New CDC guidelines caution against confrontations with customers who refuse to wear masks
Customers wearing face masks shop at a Walmart supermarket amid novel coronavirus outbreak on July 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Sha Hanting/China News Service via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - The Centers for Disease Control issued new guidelines on Monday to minimize intense confrontations between retailers and customers over mask requirements intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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The guidelines arrive in the wake of numerous incidents – many caught on camera – in which customers react violently to store employees attempting to enforce masks requirements in stores.
READ MORE: We could be wearing masks for another year, CDC says
Some of those incidents have escalated to violent – and sometimes deadly – conclusions.
Earlier this month, a Pennsylvania man fired a gun at a store employee after he was asked to leave a cigar store for refusing to wear a mask.
In another incident in Texas in June, a man assaulted an eyeglass store worker who asked him to wear a mask.
READ MORE: Video shows man attacking Cedar Hill store worker after refusing to wear mask
The CDC’s new guidelines are intended to promote face coverings, while defusing confrontations with people who refuse to wear face coverings.
Some of the suggestions include:
- Offering customers options that minimize their contact with other customers, such as curbside pickup, personal shoppers or home delivery
- Advertise COVID-19 related policies on websites
- Put in steps to assess and respond to potential violence, including reporting the incident to management, calling security or calling 911
- Have two workers team-up to encourage COVID-19 guidelines
- Provide safe areas that employees can retreat to if they feel threatened
- Post signs advertising the establishment’s COVID-19 policies
- Provide training on threat recognition and conflict resolution
- Remain aware of and support employees and customers if a threat presents itself
More details and recommended strategies are available on the CDC’s website.
The District, Maryland and Virginia have all issued mandatory mask orders in businesses.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has encouraged store employees to call the police if a customer belligerently refuses to adhere to mask requirements.
READ MORE: DC mayor advises businesses to call the police if customers aren't following mask mandate