This Costco Shopper Refused to Wear a Mask Despite Being a ‘Doctor’

Kristine Cannon
·4 min read
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We’ve heard it time and time again: Wear a mask when out in public. Not only does the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend it, but even the World Health Organization (WHO) recently updated its mask guidelines last week, suggesting that everyone wears masks when social distancing is not possible — such as on public transportation and in shops. But long before WHO’s update, Costco has held steady in its requirement that all members wear a mask or face covering at all times. That started on May 4, and yet, some stubborn shoppers still don’t get it.

Case in point: this Lake Park, Florida “doctor.”

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Reddit user Throwaway294938498 posted the video yesterday, showing a woman and her mother not wearing masks while shopping inside a Costco. While the mother sits quietly, her daughter throws a fit, accusing the man recording of “shaming” her.

Florida Doctor has no time for Costco’s mask policy. from r/Costco

“He’s taking pictures of me because I haven’t had a moment to put my mask on,” she tells bystanders.

“You can put it on right now, ma’am,” he responds calmly, a demeanor he maintains throughout the entire encounter.

“I’ll do that when I’m ready to do it,” she says. “You’re ridiculous to shame people. Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“No, I don’t,” he says. According to Throwaway, the woman has been asked multiple times — by him and Costco employees — to put on the mask she flails around in the video. He tells commenters that he knew once a manager confronted her, she’d either put the mask on or leave, and that was his only goal.

“Do you understand science?” the woman then asks him. “Science? Maybe better than you do. I’m the one protecting other people by wearing a mask,” he responds.

This is when the reveals she’s a “doctor” and that they “know what to do.” After he asks her to prove it with an ID, she flips him off. Oh, right, and she mocks him, saying, “You’re such a good boy with your mask on. Such a good boy,” to which he responds, “I take my health and the health of others very seriously.” The video ends with two Costco employees approaching the woman.

The moral of the story? Wear a mask, including at stores that require you do so.

According to Science magazine (hey, recorded Costco lady, you listening? Because we think you missed this lesson), masks reduce airborne transmission of infectious aerosol particles, which is primarily how COVID-19 spreads, from person to person. According to the CDC, you can become infected from respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. So, by not wearing a mask, you’re maximizing exposure.

Need further proof of its effectiveness? COVID-19 hospitalization rose sharply in several states (Texas, North and South Carolina, California, Oregon, Arkansas, Mississippi, Utah, and Arizona) following Memorial Day — states where many were seen at public pools and beaches and bars and clubs without masks throughout the holiday weekend. Arizona was hit especially hard; and on Friday, Banner Health, one of the largest health-care systems in the country, confirmed that ICUs in Arizona were nearing capacity. Three days later, on Monday, Arizona hospitals were told to “fully activate” emergency plans.

As of Tuesday, the CDC reported almost two million COVID-19 cases in the U.S. alone. Their advice to continue to slow the spread? Wear a cloth face covering and wash your hands often. We repeat for the people in the back: Wear a cloth face covering and wash your hands often.

Don’t have a mask? check out all of the cloth face masks available online in the gallery below:

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