After banning face masks and then discouraging their use, Wegmans has announced that it will supply them to employees.
“All along, we have followed the guidance of the CDC for the latest trusted advice,” President and CEO Colleen Wegman said in a press release posted today. “Most recently they are advising that the application of masks may prevent the spread of the virus. We are fortunate to have secured enough masks, arriving at stores in the next few days, to make it possible for our people to adhere to this advice.”
The company adopts the policy later than competing retailers and after coming under sharp criticism from employees and activists.
“As the world around us continues to change at a rapid pace, we continue to make decisions with the most up-to-date science in mind, while always leading with our hearts,” Colleen Wegman said in the release. “We express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you.”
A personal note, as a Wegmans employee: The company’s change of heart, while welcome, comes after significant blowback from its workforce. Many employees have called in sick or expressed worries about their health. We’ve also questioned Wegmans’ commitment to our safety, which is a new experience – for workers, for the company, and for the Wegman family. It’s going to take time and continuing effort for the company to win back the loyalty it enjoyed before the pandemic. That effort must include more openness about co-workers who are diagnosed with the coronavirus. We need to know about possible exposures, in order to obtain tests.
Wegmans newly adopted mask policy came way to late for people in Ithaca. An employee in the Ithaca Wegmans coffee shop tested positive for COVID19, requiring all customers who had visited the coffee shop from March 28 to April 4 to undergo testing for the virus and causing intense anxiety.