Masks back at Metcalfe's Market in Wauwatosa
WAUWATOSA, Wis. - A Wauwatosa grocery store is requiring employees to mask back up. Metcalfe's Market says it's following CDC guidelines, and the store is requesting customers follow suit.
New CDC guidelines say everyone, vaccinated or not, should wear a mask indoors in places where there is high transmission of COVID-19. The grocery store owner says the company is trying to keep people healthy.
At Metcalfe's Market in Wauwatosa, staff is used to rolling with changes. Months after getting rid of the mask mandate, the store is once again requiring them for employees and vendors.
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"It’s important that we stay healthy and do the critical work that we need to do," said Kevin Metcalfe, owner.
The store is following CDC guidance, advising people, regardless of vaccination status, to mask up indoors in places where there is high COVID-19 transmission.
"We just took the attack that we’re going to make that mandatory for our employees, our vendors so that when they do come in the store, they’re protected," said Metcalfe.
They are requesting customers do the same.
"With the numbers steadily rising up, I think we should all put them back on," said Steven Phifer.
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As the number of cases spike and with a new variant attacking, Phifer is always covering his face. He was vaccinated in February.
"I mean, it’s like, a no-brainer because I could see these numbers going up, rising every day. It’s better to be safe than sorry," said Phifer.
But for others who got vaccinated, it's a tough change to make.
"I don’t want to go backwards, have to shut down, everybody wear masks, everybody under big paranoia again. I just don’t," said Jenny Knight.
Metcalfe's might be on the forefront of a trend, going back to masks, at least for now.
"It doesn’t do us any good if our employees were to get sick and not be here to serve our customers," said Metcalfe.
FOX6 News reached out to Roundy's to see if any changes will be made in its stores. We're told they're reviewing the CDC's guidance, but there have been no changes to its policy.
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