There needs to be a national campaign to support mask wearing. It needs to come from certain types of national organizations and be directed at corporations.
To make it work there needs to be movement on multiple fronts with support from people with various types of expertise and influence.
This needs to happen because of the massive failure at the national political level to protect lives during a pandemic.
Here’s a great piece in Vanity Fair about the power of wearing masks.
If 80% of Americans Wore Masks, COVID-19 Infections Would Plummet
They comparing data in the US vs other countries that wear masks to show the massive difference in deaths. They also created a simulator to show how masks can prevent infection.
“What’s most important about wearing masks right now,” said Guy-Philippe Goldstein, an economist, cybersecurity expert, and lecturer at the Ecole de Guerre Economique in Paris—and a masksim collaborator, “is that it works, along with social distancing, to flatten the curve of infections as we wait for treatments and vaccines to be developed—while also allowing people to go out and some businesses to reopen.”
The study addressed the cultural differences between countries about masks and how it’s been difficult to enforce in the US. If the business community wants to start up retail again, one way to do that is massive support of mask wearing at the retail level.
Americans can start pushing on masks at retail spaces because they are usually on private property and can refuse service to people not wearing masks No Mask. No Service.
This piece in the New York Times points out why there needs to be widespread support for wearing masks:
Who’s Enforcing Mask Rules? Often Retail Workers, and They’re Getting Hurt
The risk of a violent reaction now hangs over jobs already fraught with health perils. May 15th by
“Why aren’t you wearing the mask?” Jesse asked the customer on a recent day at a store in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. “I am not here to question what you believe in. These are the rules. I am just asking you kindly to wear the mask.”
The customer, Genevieve Peters, who was recording the entire exchange, refused. “We are in America here,” she said, “Land of the free.” Then she turned her camera on other shoppers, who were less than amused: “Look at all of these sheep that are here, all wearing this mask that is actually dangerous for them.”
Jesse, identified only by his first name in the video, telephoned the police, who did not arrive. Finally, when Ms. Peters left the store, others customers burst into applause.
So what will it take to make this happen? Given my background in convincing major corporations to walk away from toxic right wing media to protect their brand, here are the groups that can make it happen and the steps to take.
3 GROUPS TO SUPPORT, ENDORSE & ENFORCE MASKS IN RETAIL
To get all customers to wear masks in stores people with expertise and influence in the following areas need to help: Legal, insurance, financial, HR and PR.
The push needs to come from national organizations who have clout right now. I’ve listed them in the order of their current PR clout (which isn’t the same as their political, financial or actual clout.)
1) First responders (EMT, firefighters, police, sheriffs)
First responder organizations can tell retailers, “Making ads praising us is great, but if you want to save our lives, push for your customers to wear masks.”
- Use male EMT, firefighters and cops as mask wearing role models.A recent study showed that men think wearing masks show weakness and that they won’t be impacted. it’s irrational and incorrect, but it needs to be addressed.
2) Doctors, Nurses, Health Care Workers and Hospital Administrators
The representatives for doctors, nurses, health care workers can ensure retailers have the medical data to back up the policies, but the most important thing they can offer is their endorsement of the mask policy.
3) Lawyers with experience in state & local law, executive orders and public policy
Anti-maskers are using weaknesses in federal and state policy to stop implementation of mask wearing nationwide. Corporations need help to push back against a very small, but loud group that has the support of Trump and RW groups.
Making Mask Wearing the Reality in Retail
Customers can influence policy in retail. They can convince corporate HQ to make changes that give managers the tools to support and enforce policies that make mask wearing in retail spaces a reality. Educate corporations that everyone wearing masks is good for their brands and bottom line.
Dead customers are bad for your brand (unless you are the BodyBagStore.)
For retail managers I wrote some scenarios local managers can use to shut down debates with anti-maskers. Store mangers need a POLICY. Employees need a SIGN.
THE POWER OF RED HOT ALERTS & EDUCATION!
I know from experience that there are people already doing the work behind the scenes to support mask wearing at the retail level. I’m writing this to encourage them. They are focusing on the health and safety of all the customers and staff first, which is good. But the media covers anti-maskers because it’s news and they need a “both sides’ story.
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT MASK WEARING IN RETAIL
If you go to a store and see people not wearing masks what can you do? Call the company directly and find out their policy. Look to see what the State and local policies are. If they don’t have one a policy send them one they can use. For example here’s Trader Joes’ policy page: Customer Use of Face Coverings.
Or work with your favorite activist group that has experience with pressure campaigns on corporations at a national level. They can use the power of customer numbers.
In my experience people at corporations need to hear from people who support mask policies. Be polite. Alert them to your concerns. Educate them. Otherwise they will only see the stories about people complaining and threatening staff. Conflict is news, compliance is not. I know the people who work in Corporate HR, PR, communications and legal. They all want people to be safe. Sometimes they need reasons and excuses to tell top management to do what’s right instead of doing what Trump or a dumb Governor wants.
Company HQ especially need to hear that people in states that DON’T require masks, want masks. This is important since often they default to a narrow legal talking point. “We follow all state and local laws.” This doesn’t address the fact that on private property companies can require STRONGER POLICIES THAN WHAT THE STATES REQUIRE.
THE POWER OF RED HOT MEMES!
If you don’t want to do any of this you can create memes, stickers, videos and social media to support mask wearing in stores.
I’m not an ad wizard, but watch this video and see how easily it could be changed into one supporting mask wearing.
[Fade in] Video of first responders wearing masks. They look at the camera and say,”If you care about me, (EMT), me, (Cop) me (Doctor) and me (Nurse) you will wear your mask when out in public and shopping here, (CVS,) here (Trader Joes) and here (Target).
We support masks in stores for everyone because, “We’re all in this together..” [fade out.]