There have been a lot of businesses complaining about closures and promising to protect the public if allowed to reopen. The reality has yet to match the promises.
Existing businesses are not uniformly enforcing the requirement to wear a mask. Nine businesses out of 10 that I have entered (Hannaford, Shaw’s, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Marden’s, Morans, Cumberland Farms, 7-Eleven, Starbucks) do not ask maskless people to put on their mask or not enter the store. Some don’t even have a sign up.
When I ask management why, the most common refrain is that they don’t want to offend their customers and lose more business. Until businesses are actively enforcing health requirements, I support the governor’s realistic plan to keep high-risk environments closed. Her plan is working to keep us all safe. I don’t see that level of effort happening in the business community yet.
Arian Heald
Portland
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