The fact that your store has chosen to continue forcing all customers wear mask after government mandate has been lifted goes against the Constitution and the foundation this Country was founded on. Science has not shown that mask help. We are a year into this and states with the strictest lockdowns and mask mandates continue dealing with Covid-19. After a year. What California is doing- what New York is doing- it hasn't worked. The disposable masks that most people wear clearly states on the box that it does NOT prevent the spread of Covid-19. For months I have worn a see through rhinestone mesh mask that clearly doesn't stop any transmission of disease and no one has questioned it. Because masks are simply a prop. Something to serve as a continual reminder to everyone that life is not normal. That we need to be afraid. In restaurants- how has science proven that you can sit, eat, talk and drink without a mask and it is deemed as safe behavior, however as soon as you stand up and walk to the restroom- you will suddenly spread Covid-19 if a mask is not worn? The average time a person walking past a table is in contact with anyone else is seconds. However you can sit breathing the same air for an hour or two. A standard guideline used in many schools for being at risk is spending 15+ continuous minutes less than 10' from someone infected. While shopping- I have never spent a fraction of this amount of time in continual contact with anyone. Seconds at most.
If we look back at history for advice on handling pandemics- we must consider the 1918 Influenza pandemic. Research later showed that the majority of deaths occurred when bacteria normally found in nose and throat invaded lungs and virus destroyed cells lining bronchial tubes and lungs. In a paper co-authored by Anthony S Fauci, M.D., he stated:
"The weight of evidence we examined from both historical and modern analyses of the 1918 influenza pandemic favors a scenario in which viral damage followed by bacterial pneumonia led to the vast majority of deaths," says co-author NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "In essence, the virus landed the first blow while bacteria delivered the knockout punch."
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/bacterial-pneumonia-caused-most-deaths-1918-influenza-pandemic
Until it can be proven that the benefit of wearing a mask outweighs any potential harm and justifies taking away peoples person freedoms- it is draconian for an establishment to enforce these unconstitutional measures.
If people feel safer and comforted by wearing a mask- by all means- they should absolutely do so. However their personal choices should not infringe upon the personal choices of everyone else. People, especially children, should not be forced to keep damp cloth that is saturated in all of the bacteria we breath out, covering their nose and mouth restricting oxygen.
I will not participate in doing something purely for optics while promoting fear and undercutting Americans personal freedoms. I have always regularly shopped at Kroger's and enjoy the convenience with a location minutes from my office and another minutes from my house along with your products and prices, however based on your companies decision- I will be shopping elsewhere. I would rather drive slightly farther and possibly pay a bit more than help promote something so fundamentally wrong. read more