COVID-19: Where We Are Now

Periodically, Gossips has published the maps from CovidActNow.org showing the status of each state regarding the spread of COVID-19. On June 23 and on June 30, New York was green, indicating "On track to control COVID." 

June 23

June 30

Today, the map tells a different story. New York has lost its green "On track to control COVID" status and has dropped back to gold: "Controlled disease growth." On Friday, 918 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in New York. Only Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are now considered "On track to control COVID." The vast majority of the states are now "At risk."

July 5

This change comes that a time when there is more and more evidence that wearing face coverings actually does stop the spread of the virus. On Friday, NPR reported on the latest projections regarding the efficacy of face masks: "Widespread Use of Face Masks Could Save Tens of Thousands of Lives, Models Project." In the report, Mary Louise Kelly noted that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, and Vice President Mike Pence have all in the past week, now that the United States is recording upwards of 50,000 new cases a day, started recommending wearing a mask.

Still, the message doesn't seem to be reaching everyone. A reader reported this experience at Walmart in Greenport over the weekend and also shared it on Facebook.

Shopping today in Walmart on Fairview Avenue in Hudson, NY. Many sales associates not wear masks or wearing a mask under their noses. Many cashier associates wearing masks under their noses too. Oh, and let's not forget about the many customers wearing no masks.

Asked to speak to manager I got the assistant manager and was advised that it is "Walmart's policy not to enforce customers to wear masks." I advised him it was a rule in NYS and you have a sign on the entrance doors stating [customers] must wear masks. He again repeated it is not Walmart's policy.

He advised me that Walmart is a private company and to protect the privacy of the store employees not to take pictures of those violating the rule. I asked what about my health privacy.

I told him I was posting on Facebook and sending to Governor Cuomo advising of these violations.

Time to start fining corporations and shops not enforcing the policy. . . .

Governor Andrew Cuomo has made it clear on several occasions that he is relying on local law enforcement to monitor compliance with COVID-19 regulations, so this is probably an issue for the Greenport Police and the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Back in May, Cuomo declared that business owners had the right to deny entry to anyone not wearing a mask. Customers always have the right to deny a business their patronage. Flouting the mandate regarding wearing masks is as good a reason as any.

Here's a sobering statistic. The United States represents only 5 percent of the world's population, but 25 percent of the world's COVID cases are now in the United States. There may be only 23 active cases of COVID-19 in Columbia County at the moment, but the pandemic is not over. The virus is still out there. Wear a mask.
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