General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAt the Supermarket on June 20, 2020.
Later today, it will be the first day of Summer. It's Saturday, so I made my once a week shopping trip to my local Cub supermarket in St. Paul, MN. I've been reporting on those trips since the pandemic started.
Today was motorized shopping cart day, for some reason. All eight of the store's units were in use, and people were waiting for an available one in the shopping cart area. I've never seen that happen before.
Here's what was striking: Not even one of the people using those power shopping carts were wearing a mask. Not one. Most riders, however, were very obese. That's not unusual, of course, but serious obesity is a risk factor for those who get the virus. Puzzling.
Mask use in general was down this week, with only maybe 20% of shoppers wearing them. That's about the lowest percentage I've seen so far. Nobody while I was in the shopping cart area took or used the santitizing wipes that the store provides just inside the door to the cart area, either. Puzzling.
I think the news media is showing too many unmasked people these days in crowd shots. That could be because fewer people are wearing them or because they're filming Trump supporters, who refuse to wear masks because Trump doesn't wear one. I don't know.
I imagine we'll see almost no masks on the audience in Tulsa later today. We'll see them on the protesters outside, probably, but not inside, where they would be even more important.
I fear that the drop-off in mask wearing is going to lead to a new surge in cases this Summer. That's too bad, to say the least.
Way to go, Trump! Way to set an example for the nation, dude!
Me? I have a mask on. I use the sanitizing wipes. I use Purell before getting into my car and after handling my grocery bags. I'm trying my best to be careful on these outings. I'd rather not get sick, to tell you the truth.
Turbineguy
(37,374 posts)there is no future (if they get their way). It's a little like the car race in "On The Beach".
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)winetourdriver01
(1,154 posts)IF everyone in the nation took this seriously, and wore masks in public, we could stop this in it's tracks.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)The Bullshit Pulpit speaks loudly.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Funnily enough though, in my very red county, I've noticed an increase in mask wearing lately.
I was at Lowes yesterday for supplies for my garden project, and just about everyone had them on - even outside in the garden center.
NC has seen an increase in cases lately, so maybe that's why. At any rate, I'm glad to see more mask wearing.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)The store is uncrowded. It's well-stocked for the weekend. It works out well for me.
Lowe's is pretty strong on mask-wearing by customers. Home Depot is less so.
It depends on the store, I guess.
madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)This is in southwest Ohio. At least they are taking it seriously at the liquor store. Everyone has masks on!
cwydro
(51,308 posts)I'm usually busy with the dogs until then, but I'll keep that in mind.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I get up at 6:30 AM instead of 6:00.
Wounded Bear
(58,737 posts)any time I go into a store for an extended visit, I do that.
Quick trips, like my morning walk to pick up my paper at the local convenience store, mask only and hit the hand sanitizer on the way out the door. That's an in and out visit, couple of minutes tops.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)touching my face until I can use Purell on my hands. I bought some little single-use packets of Purell that you just bend over and squeeze. I have those in a pocket all the time when I'm out.
I'm less concerned about transfer of the virus from surfaces than I am about aerosol transmission. So, I just keep my hands off my face and sanitize or wash my hands frequently. Gloves, I think, don't do much, really. If surfaces are contaminated, the gloves are contaminated, too.
Washing and sanitizing hands is easy.
PTWB
(4,131 posts)moron trump supporters and moron non-maskers. While I dont wish death on anyone, I will not be sad in the least if a huge swath of his base is hospitalized or bedridden come Election Day due to their own monumental ignorance.
BComplex
(8,073 posts)of moisture and falls to the ground more quickly than in drier climates.
Humidity in Tulsa today is around 50-60%.
Not wearing a mask is definitely not smart. Trump supporters are not known for smart.
I hope all BLM protesters will wear masks.
Pacifist Patriot
(24,654 posts)to clear out my son's dorm room at FSU. Long boring day mostly spent on the road. The few stops we made to take care of biological needs and refill the fuel tank were eye opening. I would guess maybe 10% mask use, if even that. No one in gas stations or at rest stops was social distancing whatsoever. Detected no fewer cars on the road than any other Friday in June.
Noticed the Florida dashboard that gets updated every day at about 10:50 - 11:10 a.m. still hasn't been updated today at noon.
This state is so screwed!
5X
(3,972 posts)None of the clerks or stockers had masks, except the sushi guy.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)were masked and gloved, and the checkers are behind a Plexiglas shield. They're also disinfecting the belts after each customer, and there's a sign asking customers to not put items on the belt until it has been sanitized.
Baclava
(12,047 posts)MineralMan
(146,338 posts)At 74, I'm still working. At home and as a writer, still. I just work about half time, but I do all my writing in the morning. By afternoon, every day, the stores are busy, so I shop on Saturday morning. People sleep in on the weekends, so it's not crowded until after 10 AM.
Vinca
(50,318 posts)I really appreciate it and everyone follows the order. They've also trained the employees to remind shoppers to stay a safe distance apart and have plexiglass separating the cashier and bagger from the public. There's hand sanitizer and wipes everywhere. It's the one place I have to go that I feel really safe. And I'm getting my exercise since you have to follow the arrows to get around the store so there's no darting down here and there to speed the shopping trip along. Then I cross the border back into New Hampshire and it's like night and day. Most of the women I run into at the post office and local store wear masks, but almost none of the men do. I don't get it.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)too. Men seem less likely to wear them. I guess they think it makes them look weak or frightened. Maybe that's why men's lifespans are statistically shorter than women's. Men are just not as careful, I think.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)As you mentioned,the mask usage has dropped off more and more each week. Electric Carts and Obese people carrying O2 bottles and no masks, two people yesterday both White Women in their sixties,duh,what could go wrong.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,496 posts)That lack of personal exposure breeds complacency and carelessness and I'm sure it's worse in many rural areas. But those who have had a friend or relative sickened or died will take it much more seriously......for a while. It's sad to think that people have to know someone that's been sick in order to take this seriously.
MineralMan, I reported around a week ago here on DU about our most recent trips out to two local stores - one for groceries (Kroger) and another for plumbing and garden supplies (Lowes). The contrast in safety measure being taken by store employees and customers between the two was alarmingly striking.....enough so that I probably won't be going back to that Lowes. What pissed me off the most was than on Lowe's web site, they clearly state that the safety of employees and customers is paramount and even had photos of a typical store showing people with mask and social distancing markers. None of that was seen in my store. In comparison, Kroger's store was very safe.
That tells me that individual store managers are making decisions on what to enforce and what not to. I know our Governor and Metro Executive have made strong recommendations on safety measures for individuals and business to take.
This is a snip from the Kentucky Dept. of Health's PDF on requirements for retail businesses:
In addition to the Healthy at Work Minimum Requirements, retail businesses must
meet the requirements below in order to reopen and remain open.....
The document goes on to spell out in detail all requirements for creating a safe retail space. However, it does not state how that would be enforced. The agency does have a web page where we can report non-compliant businesses and I fully intend to report the above mentioned store.
So, I fear we're in for a long, slow slog. It's sad to think that most people don't care enough about their fellow-man to help reduce the sickness and death by wearing masks and do hand washing until we get an effective vaccine.
KY rant done.......
leighbythesea2
(1,200 posts)ProfessorGAC
(65,248 posts)Power company called to say no electricity for 8 hours Monday.
Went to a Walmart for a new gas can, plus some staples.
I saw ONE person not wearing a mask! It wasn't packed, but many dozens of people, & I saw 1!
The other shoe:
Stopped at liquor store to get my pretend beer. 3 employees masked, and me! Got gas (didn't go in). I saw 2 folks going in masked. 2 of maybe 7.
So, it's a mixed bag around here.