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Major retailers not enforcing mask policies due to confrontational customers
Several national retailers have recently announced they won't enforce facemask policies because they're trying to avoid putting their employees at risk after physical and verbal altercations with customers who won't wear facial coverings.
AUSTIN, Texas - The CDC says more than 4 million Americans have been infected by the novel coronavirus so far.
Even with the virus quickly spreading and cases climbing, a sense of normalcy has returned. Restaurants, malls, and other places of business have reopened, but with restrictions.
Some local businesses, like Martin's Wellness Pharmacy at Lamar Plaza Drug Store, have been seeing people come in to buy masks.
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"'Our customer service rep will ask How can I help you? Do you want me to bring anything curbside to you because they obviously know they're supposed to wear masks inside to protect themselves and others and the response has always been 'I'm here to buy a mask!'" says lab manager Ashley Nolan. "And they'll even offer to wait outside."
Nolan says they have signage that says masks are required and so is social distancing.
"Our manager has told us if someone walks in without a mask, offer them one. If they don't want to wear one, it's probably best to not be confrontational about it," Nolan said.
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Making masks comfortable and protecting your skin
Dr. Ted Lain with Sanova Dermatology talks about why masks are one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and has tips on making them comfortable and protecting your skin during the summer.
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Nolan says Martin's has been a community staple since 1957 so they have a large customer base, and people have been gracious. However, that hasn't been the case for other stores nationwide, like Home Depot, Walmart, and CVS who have announced they will still serve customers who refuse to wear masks.
"I can see on the flip side maybe a more commercial business HEB or Costco or something like that a bigger or more commercial something where hundreds of people are flowing through every day I could see where that mass amount of people there would be someone more likely not wanting to wear one," Nolan said.
RELATED: ‘I’m not doing it’: Man refusing to wear mask inside Costco kicked out of store
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Better Business Bureau talks about fake mask exemptions
Consumers are required to wear masks in businesses and public buildings under the mask mandate but some places and activities don't require them. However some people have found a way to exempt themselves but it's not a real exemption. Erin Dufner explains.
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Nolan says if they were to have a confrontational non-mask wearing customer, they'd encourage them to purchase PPE at the pharmacy, but most likely they'd bite the bullet.
"It's almost not worth someone getting out of hand I guess. If someone was confrontational and someone said hey we require masks. You see stuff all over the media with people blowing up and we don't want that, we're a pharmacy, we deal with medication, we're just trying to stay away from a big confrontation," Nolan said.
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