According to Costco, the only ones excluded from the policy are children under the age of two and those who are unable to wear a mask due to medical reasons.
By RACHEL WOLFPeople wear masks as they wait to enter a Costco store during the outbreak of coronavirus in Washington(photo credit: REUTERS)
Costco announced that as of May 4 it would require all customers to “wear a face covering that covers their mouth and nose at all times while at Costco,” sparking social media outrage and calls to boycott the store. According to Costco, the only ones excluded from the policy are children under the age of two and those who are unable to wear a mask due to medical reasons.The new requirement comes amid other “guest policy” amendments, such as the limit of two people per Costco card entering the story.“The use of a face covering should not be seen as a substitute for social distancing,” Costco pointed out in a statement on its website, asking customers to continue social distancing.Despite the fact that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing a cloth mask, the retailer faced backlash on social media. On Facebook, several comments on Costco posts mentioned consumers looking for membership refunds and general disapproval of the policy. Additionally, on Twitter, the hashtag #boycottcostco gained popularity.While the initial backlash was strong, a wave of support followed with many tweeting #supportcostco, joking that shopping there would be easier without all those boycotting the store.The CDC has released instructions on how to make masks, as well as guidelines on how to properly wear, remove and sanitize cloth masks.“CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission,” the CDC wrote on its website. “Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.”The CDC also stresses that it recommends cloth face coverings and not surgical masks or N-95 respirators, which “are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders.”
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