Are people still listening?

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Listen I understand, wearing masks can be difficult sometimes but it’s for everyone’s safety, not just the ones wearing masks.

Yet, people are still not wearing masks, despite San Joaquin County numbers hitting nearly 19,000 by Sept. 4, according to the county’s COVID Dashboard.  

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a mask mandate in June after an increase in COVID cases due to multiple people refusing to take the then voluntary precaution of wearing a mask.  

“Simply put, we are seeing too many people with faces uncovered — putting at risk the real progress we have made in fighting the disease,” Newsom said in a statement.

At my job we still get some people coming who don’t wear masks, or they don’t have their mask on their face. But most of the time when people wear masks it’s under their chin or right below their lower lip. It’s really frustrating sometimes. 

Unfortunately, I have to remind people they have to have a mask on or they have to leave, and sometimes we’ve had to ask people to leave. The responses I’ve gotten from customers who don’t follow the mask rule and give me a hard time about it usually ignore me, and continue shopping. Other times people will argue with the manager, luckily nothing has been extreme, but people can be difficult sometimes. 

When these situations happen I wonder if people care about the consequences at all.

“COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person-to-person. Some people without symptoms may be able to spread the virus,” according to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control.

How can anyone not take this seriously and make an effort to stay safe? It’s been mandated  to wear a mask while outdoors and inside open shops. 

Masks can be uncomfortable to wear but would you rather be uncomfortable or safe? 

Masks are designed to not only protect you from germs from the outside world but it also protects the outside world from yourself. I know so many people who can’t even go outside because of COVID because their immune systems are too fragile. But even those who aren’t at risk they do go out, that doesn’t mean those they live with (if they live with someone at all) aren’t at risk.

Everyone is different, and you just don’t know sometimes. That’s why taking precautions to stay safe and healthy should be a top priority. That means wearing a mask to not only keep yourself safe but those around you safe.