Publix, The Kroger Company, Hy-Vee, and other chains will not require masks for employees and customers who have been fully vaccinated against Covid or as required by local regulations. Kroger will require non-vaccinated employees to wear masks and shoppers will operate on an honor system. The change in policy is consistent with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Morning Consult Inc. a global survey company determined that 25 percent of adults responding to a questionnaire indicated that mask requirements should be lifted through the U.S., but 40 percent believe that the local situation including incidence rate should determine whether masking is required. A noteworthy level of 27 percent still considered that masking was necessary. There is considerable concern over relaxation of masking with 20 percent of respondents uncomfortable in situations involving a return to offices, dining outdoors, shopping at a mall or socializing in public. The level of concern increases sharply to 48 percent for flying internationally and encompasses a range of 40 to 45 percent for activities including attendance at concerts, sports events, domestic air travel, and public transportation. Approximately 40 percent of respondents had concerns over not wearing a mask at a gym, an observation evident during the morning workout of this commentator.
Quoted in Supermarket News, Marc Perrone, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, has been outspoken on protection of supermarket employees. He maintains that with a high proportion of the U.S. population unvaccinated, retention of masks in supermarkets is required and he has urged the Department of Labor to issue an OSHA standard outlining rules for masking.
As of May 23rd, 49 percent (162 million) of the U.S. population had received at least one Covid vaccine with 39 percent (130 million) fully immunized. An encouraging statistic is the number of teenagers 12 and older who have received at least one vaccine. By May 23rd 59 percent are now partially vaccinated with 47 percent having received two doses of an mRNA vaccine. Approximately 80 percent of the 350 million vaccines released by manufacturers have been administered, suggesting that additional efforts are required to convince the vaccine hesitant to achieve protection for their own safety and community health.