Pa. Mandate For Shoppers And Workers To Wear Masks Now In Effect Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- As of 8:00 p.m. on Sunday evening in Pennsylvania, the state's order went into effect requiring shoppers and customers alike to wear a face covering.
Shoppers will be required to wear a mask in order to enter stores.
If you don't have one, stores can turn you away and tell you to get one.
Signs were outside the Settlers Ridge Giant Eagle to remind customers they need a mask to go inside the store.
"It gets to be pain at times, but if it's helping us, it's a great thing," John Kutchman from Kennedy Township said.
Places like grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential businesses are required to give you an alternative pickup method as well.
This order is not only affecting shoppers, as employees are mandated to wear masks too.
Children under the age of 2 and those with medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask are not required to adhere to this order.
"It looks weird, like something from a movie that you would see, but it's what you gotta do to kelp everyone safe," Zach Johnson from Robinson Township said as he out his groceries in his car.
"For safety and for our own protection and for everyone else," Mary Seibert from Green Tree said.
"If more people worried about taking care of each other, it'd be a lot better," Kutchman said as he took groceries to his car.
Seibert is a retired nurse and feels this order should be followed, as well as other recommendations that come from our health experts.
"Knowing as much as I know about how contagious it is and how it can be spread so easily, absolutely," she said.
Most customers agreed, we should expect to wear masks into stores for at least the next few months.
"Unfortunately, I think people don't want to hear that, but yes I do," Seibert said.
"It looks a little off-putting, but I think it will make a difference," Johnson said.
The new rule also restricts the amount of people that can go into the store. It set the limit at half of a business's occupancy permit.
If you need to find a mask, there are stores around the area that are selling them or giving them away.
One example is David Alan Clothing. They are mass producing about 7,000 masks per day and hope to get up to 30,000 per day.
They are selling the masks on their website for $11.99, with some of the money going to a Coronavirus relief fund.
In Wilkinsburg, their mayor is giving them away at the free store in Wilkinsburg.
They are limited in supply, but anyone is welcome while supplies last.
"Trying to get them in the hands of everyone. We're talking about the youth, adults, seniors, just making sure that all of the communities are equipped for this," said Mayor Marita Garrett.
Several other stores are also making masks, including Clarissa Boutique in Lawrenceville, with their profits going to help the food bank.
If purchasing a mask isn't feasible, it's possible to make them at home using step-by-step instructions following the video below.
More information on the Coronavirus pandemic:
