As all of us look for ways to deal with COVID-19, which is now obviously prevalent and spreading by community transmission, I found it shocking that while at Hannaford the other day I was only one of three people wearing a mask.

I work for a multinational corporation and had the benefit of a virtual meeting with our CEO in China on Thursday morning. One of the takeaways from the meeting was that wearing masks in China is now a social norm: Everyone there wears one when in public. (Police require them, The New York Times recently reported.)

Their ability to contain the virus as quickly as they have been able to so far is because they are taking every precaution to limit transmission. Masks were and continue to be essential.

Our CEO also indicated that if we are thinking that any actions we take in containing transmission are an overreaction, it means we have not thought it through. Please take this seriously. We are all in this together whether we want to be or not. Protect yourself, be kind and be safe.

Tracy Floyd

Cape Elizabeth

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