At the start of the year, wearing face coverings in public would have brought you a lot of weird looks and attention from people. However, in light of the events that have happened since then as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic, having a face mask on will barely earn you a second glance.
It was at the beginning of the year when Chinese scientists informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about a new pneumonia-like disease. Several months later, the virus had spread to almost every country in the world, killing more than 500,000 people. In Canada, nearly 140,000 people were infected by September 2020 with the virus claiming over 9,000 lives.
If all that’s happened in 2020 is anything to go by, Covid-19 has definitely changed the lives of almost everyone. Until a safe and efficient vaccine is made available, it’s highly likely that things will continue as they are if not stranger.
Towns, cities, and countries had to implement certain measures to prevent the virus from spreading. Businesses were shut down and human travel was restricted with people being urged by governments and health authorities to stay indoors.
One of the most notable responses to how people are approaching the isolating at home period is changes to their grocery shopping trends. Almost overnight, a simple run to the grocery store became a surreal psychological experience requiring hyper-alertness and thorough pre-planning.
What We Have Observed So Far
Since a lockdown was imposed in the country, Canadian grocery stores have transformed into a manifestation of the coronavirus’s progress.
For a lot of people, grocery shopping during the pandemic is when they come into contact with the highest number of people. A collaborative study by Dalhousie University and Angus Dean revealed that 65% of Canadians were concerned about going into public spaces to buy food.
The truth of the matter is the more people we come across, the higher the risk of virus infection and transmission. This has led to increasing fears for grocers in regards to how they intend to navigate grocery shopping during this time and how they plan for the future.
Grocery store workers are also afraid. While politicians laud them as heroes in the frontline against Covid-19, they face a high risk with safety protocols coming in only after the virus has spread across Canada.
Panic-buying from shoppers led to foot trail markings, dedicated shopping hours, restricted admissions, and plexiglass screens shielding shoppers from cashiers and vice versa. One measure from food retailers, however, that has brought about a lot of friction, is the use of a surgical mask or respirator as face coverings during shopping.
Wearing A Face Mask While Grocery Shopping
A lot of retailers have proceeded to request that shoppers wear a face covering while in their stores. This move follows a change in perception from health officials who initially questioned the efficacy of nationwide mask-wearing to later suggesting that it may contribute to the spread of the coronavirus.
For instance, Nations Experience, Walmart, Longos, Loblaws, T & T Grocery, and IGA in British Columbia are but a few grocery outlets that do not permit customers within the business premises unless they have a face mask on. If a person does not have one, some stores have gone a step further to provide a surgical mask at the entrance of the stores.
Can a Grocery Store Force Customers To Wear a Mask
With various stores around Canada mandating that shoppers have a mask on during grocery shopping, you’re probably wondering if and how such a measure can be enforced by retailers.
The answer is yes, grocery stores can enforce such a policy. Although there is no law in place to support the store, there’s no law stopping them from enforcing it.
The same way some night clubs refuse entry to people wearing shorts is the same way a grocery store can deny entry to people without face masks on. The store management has a solid case in maintaining their stance based on the health and safety regulations of the grocery store.
However, there are caveats customers can use to go inside a store. For example, if a person is covering their face for religious reasons and does not feel like wearing a mask on top of that, then they have a valid argument. Denied entry to such a person would be violating their human rights rules.
How To Keep Yourself Safe While Grocery Shopping
To better understand how we can keep ourselves safe when buying groceries, first we need to get a clear picture of how the virus is transmitted.
When an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes, they produce a lot of respiratory droplets into surfaces and on breathable air. Once a non-infected person inhales the droplets or comes into contact with a contaminated surface, they are likely to become infected by the virus.
To help you keep yourself safe during your shopping experience, here are a few measures you should consider.
1. Wear a Mask
Wearing a mask is critical when in public spaces, not just in grocery stores. It will not only protect you from getting infected, but it will also prevent you from transmitting droplets that could infect other people.
2. Spend as Little Time as Possible Shopping
Avoid touching a lot of things and don’t linger for too long in places with busy human traffic. Maintain social distancing and avoid contact with others as much as you can.
3. Maintain Proper Hand Hygiene
Once you’ve checked out, clean your hands with soap and water. If you used a pair of gloves, dispose of them. Do so while unpacking your shopping as well.
No Surgical Mask, No Service
A lot of people have already grown weary of living in the Covid-19 pandemic but as things stand, it looks like it’s barely gotten started. Fortunately, grocers have shown before they can change when the need for self-service shopping led to supermarkets after World War One. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic could trigger a seismic shift in grocery shopping trends.
As things stand, grocery stores have been held to some rather strict laws to ensure food safety for the public. With mask-wearing proving to be a big issue, it’s important that Canadians adapt to the new normal before a vaccine is found. Even if you don’t want to, consider that not wearing one puts both you and those you hold dear at significant risk.
