How many customers and employees locally are wearing masks, especially in the wake of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s re-issued mask order on Wednesday?
The answer is: The vast majority, locally, but even that is expected to improve very soon as, in an address to Ohioans late Wednesday afternoon, DeWine re-issued the below order, which can be found on the state’s COVID-19 website:
“To protect frontline workers and customers, the Ohio Department of Health will reissue Ohio’s mask order and add the following provisions:
“Each store will be required to post a sign outlining face-covering requirements at all public entrances to the store;
“Each store will be responsible for ensuring that customers and employees are wearing masks; and
“A new Retail Compliance Unit, comprised of agents led by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, will inspect to ensure compliance. A first violation will result in a written warning and a second violation will result in closure of the store for up to 24 hours.”
A quick walk-through at the below stores/facilities by News Journal staff mid-morning to around noon on Thursday showed, among adult customers and employees (that could be seen):
• CVS in downtown Wilmington — All 5 customers wearing masks; all employees properly wearing masks.
• CVS in Blanchester —All 3 customers wearing masks; all employees properly wearing masks.
• Dollar General on S. South St., Wilmington — 2 customers wearing masks, 1 without; 2 of the employees not wearing masks.
• Duke & Duchess on Rombach Ave., Wilmington — 4 customers wearing masks, 7 customers without; all 3 employees observed were improperly wearing a mask (each around their neck).
• Family Dollar in Blanchester — 2 customers wearing masks, 1 without; all employees properly wearing masks.
• Family Dollar on E. Main St., Wilmington — 2 customers were wearing masks, 2 without; one employee was wearing a mask properly (one had the mask below their nose, another on their chin).
• Kroger in Blanchester — 43 customers wearing masks, 4 without; all but one employee was wearing a mask properly (nose not covered).
• Kroger on Rombach Avenue in Wilmington — 104 customers wearing masks, 17 without masks; all except 2 employees were properly wearing masks (one had no mask, the other had it around their chin).
• Lowe’s on Lowe’s Drive in Wilmington — 21 customers wearing masks, 8 without; all employees properly wearing masks.
• McDonald’s at US 68 near I-71 — All 4 customers wearing masks; all employees properly wearing masks.
• Ollie’s on Rombach Ave. in Wilmington — 21 customers wearing masks, 2 without; all employees properly wearing masks.
• Pilot at US 68 near I-71 — All 9 customers wearing masks, but 2 wearing it around their neck/chin while getting coffee and food items; all employees properly wearing masks.
• Shell at US 68 near I-71 — 5 customers wearing masks, 2 without; all employees that could be seen were properly wearing masks.
• Sunoco on E. Main St. in Wilmington — All 3 customers wearing masks; all employees properly wearing masks.
• UDF on E. Main St. in Wilmington — All 5 customers wearing masks; all employees properly wearing masks.
• Walmart on Progress Way, Wilmington — 61 customers wearing masks, 7 without; all employees properly wearing masks.
• Your Father’s Kitchen/Sugartree Ministries on E. Main St. in Wilmington — 7 patrons outside, all in close proximity with no one wearing masks.
Overall, the vast majority of those adult customers in stores not wearing masks could be estimated to be between 20 and 40 years of age.
Some people not wearing masks could possibly have a medical reason for not wearing one.
