In future, the medical protective mask will only be mandatory in shops in hotspots ordered by the authorities.
(Photo: dpa)
Grocers have taken the path of least resistance. They withdraw to the minimum standard of official orders and – apart from state-designated hotspots – again allow shopping without a medical mask.
But in view of record-high incidences, they could also have set an example for the protection of their customers and employees and, with the power of their domiciliary rights, could have made the mask compulsory. At least until the situation with the high number of infections eases again. In doing so, they would have shown responsibility in an explosive situation. But they timidly squandered this opportunity – and put their business interests first.
Sure, the intensive care units of the hospitals are not overflowing with corona patients. But even if the infection with the omicron variant is fortunately less severe for most people, the infected drop out at first. This also endangers the critical infrastructure in Germany. If operations have to be postponed because there is a lack of staff, it can also cost lives.
Grocers have always emphasized that they are not a driver of infection. But that’s exactly what they owe to the obligation to cover their mouths and noses in their shops over the past two years. The trade has always boasted of its exemplary hygiene measures. Suspending this right now in view of a much more contagious virus variant, more than 250,000 new infections per day and a seven-day incidence of more than 1500 is completely illogical.
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>> Read here: Which dealers at least recommend wearing the protective mask.
Of course: dealers who continue to require the wearing of the mask should have endured protests from mask opponents. That requires backbone, but wouldn’t have overwhelmed her. Now your employees will probably have to listen to the hostilities if they continue to wear a mask out of self-protection so as not to get infected by their customers who do not have a mask.
The food trade has benefited from the corona pandemic like hardly any other industry. They did not owe the high sales during this period to their own business acumen, but also to government regulations that gave them an advantage over other traders. Now would be the opportunity to give something back – in the form of social responsibility.
More: Mask requirements in shops and access rules end: Many federal states are relaxing corona measures.