Reader: Customers Without Masks Should Not Be Served!

A Reader called us:

In large stores in Bolesławiec, people walk around without masks; and since I have been shopping, I have not yet seen a police officer.

And added:

If there are to be fewer infections, we should all fight this epidemic. And what good is it that I am wearing a mask if I can still become infected by someone in the store.

He also pointed out:

In my opinion, it should be the case that customers without masks should not be served.

We asked the Bolesławiec police about the matter. Staff Sgt. Marta Kubiak, press officer of the County Police Headquarters in Bolesławiec:

Police officers do not independently check whether people are wearing masks in stores. However, it should be stressed that we intervene if we receive a report of this kind—for example, from a security guard. If there is a specific report, we respond.

It is worth noting that this is a nationwide problem. At the beginning of July, the money.pl website reported that UCE Research employees checked nearly 300 stores across Poland to see how the regulations were being enforced in practice:

They acted as “mystery shoppers.” As part of a small journalistic provocation, they also approached store employees, asking why they did not react when customers were not wearing masks.

The result? The website reported:

The findings are alarming, especially when it comes to customers not wearing masks. The situation is worst in small stores. In only 5 percent of cases did an employee react when a customer was not wearing a mask.

The money.pl portal asked the Ministry of Health whether there would be recommendations for stores to help enforce the obligation to wear masks:

We were only told that “the ministry does not have such tools.” And that the Police or store owners would be better addressees for such a question.

(Details at money.pl).

What do you think? We invite you to discuss and vote in our poll.