DON'T ARGUE WITH ANTI-MASKERS, CDC WARNS STORES
DON'T ARGUE WITH ANTI-MASKERS, CDC WARNS STORES
"Don't "We 120,000 1ST 2 2020. 2020.© 250 26 26, 30 48-hour 61-year-old 63 A ABC ANTI-MASKERS, ARGUE Although Aug. Bank But By CDC COMMUNITY CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVID-19, CVS Centers Control Covid-19 DEATH Depot, Disease Earlier FEARS GAZA Gaza Gaza, Gaza,” Gaza. Gaza’s Hamas. Health Home How ICU IN In Jerusalem Jerusalem’s Kaila, Last MAY MORE: Mai-al Managers March, May May, Ministry Mohammed News, OF One Organization. Palestinian Palestinians Pennsylvania Prevention Prior RAISES Retailers Reuters Rising SINCE STORES Salem/Reuters Strip, TRANSMISSION That's The This WARNS WHO’s WITH Walmart Walmart, Wednesday, West When With World a abroad, access according across adding advise advised after agency agency's aimed al-Maghazi all allowed ambassadors ambulance, amid an and angry announced anti-maskers. are areas argue around as ask asked assaulted at authorities barely be become beds been being believe biggest body business businesses by came camp. camps can capacity care carrying cases cases. cases” catastrophic changed charged chemotherapy. child choking cigar cluster community companies' complimentary concerns condition conflict, conflict-resolution consequences continue contracted contracting coronavirus could country coverings currently customer customers danger. days death deaths decide declared describing designated died distancing don't doubt, down. during dying early emergency employee employees employees. employing enclave, enforcing enough equipped especially essential excess exists experts extend face family fears federal feel first five follow follows for four from front go government group grow guidance guidelines had handling has have head health holding hospital hospitals hospitals, how identifying if implement impossible. in incidents include installing instances instructed into is issued its just law lead letting like limit limiting linked live living loads local lockdown locked lone major majority make malnutrition man management mandate mask mask, mask-wearing masks masks. measures, medical militant million minister, ministry ministry, month, more mourning must new no northern novel now number occurred of on one only or other outbreak outlined outside over overcrowded overstretched pandemic patients. people permitted place placed points positive procedures procedures. prompted protect provided public public. put quarantine. ranging rates receive received recommendation refugee refugees, refuse refuse, reported reported. represent requirements. retail returning routine rules. run safe safety said says. security serious serve service she shooting shop. shopping. sign: since six slapping social some soon sparked spot standing statement states steps still stores stretcher such suggestions: swearing system systems tDON'T take, talking team territory territory’s tested than that that, the their them there there. these they they'd this threatened threats three time. to told total tough training transmission treat treatment treatment, truck: two under ventilator ventilators violence violent violent," virus want warns was wear wearing, week, went were when where whether which who whom will with wo woman worker workers workers, workplace world would years yelling “which
DON'T ARGUE WITH ANTI-MASKERS, CDC WARNS STORES
When in doubt, don't argue with anti-maskers.
That's the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to retail and service employees.
This week, the health agency issued new guidance to limit workplace violence that could be aimed at workers when enforcing their companies' Covid-19 safety procedures.
The procedures that retail and service businesses have been advised to implement under CDC guidelines include enforcing mask wearing, social distancing and limiting the number of customers allowed in a business at one time.
But the CDC warns that workers could be threatened or assaulted for employing these safety measures, describing violence ranging from yelling and swearing to slapping and choking the employees. The CDC has outlined a number of steps businesses can take, which include conflict-resolution training for their workers, installing security systems and identifying designated safe areas in stores employees can go to if they feel in danger.
One of the agency's biggest suggestions: "Don't argue with a customer if they make threats or become violent," the CDC says.
The guidance follows a number of violent incidents that have occurred at businesses across the country over mask-wearing requirements. Earlier this month, a man in Pennsylvania was charged with shooting at an employee after being asked to wear a mask in a cigar shop.
Last month, Walmart, Home Depot, CVS and other major stores announced they would still serve customers who refuse to wear masks.
Walmart provided its ambassadors and management with talking points for handling incidents with anti-maskers. Managers were instructed to ask customers if they'd like a complimentary mask, and if they refuse, the talking points advise letting them to continue shopping.
Although no federal law currently exists enforcing mask wearing, more than 30 states mandate that people must wear masks or face coverings in public. Retailers have especially been put in a a tough spot as safety concerns grow over how to protect employees from angry customers or workers who don't want to follow mask-wearing rules.
1ST CORONAVIRUS DEATH IN GAZA SINCE MAY RAISES FEARS OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION
The first death linked to the novel coronavirus since May occurred in Gaza on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian health ministry, after the territory went into a 48-hour lockdown prompted by a new cluster of cases.
a man holding a sign: A Palestinian health worker loads a stretcher carrying the body of a 61-year-old man who died after contracting COVID-19 into an ambulance, in the northern Gaza Strip, Aug. 26, 2020.© Mohammed Salem/Reuters A Palestinian health worker loads a stretcher carrying the body of a 61-year-old man who died after contracting COVID-19 into an ambulance, in the northern Gaza Strip, Aug. 26, 2020.
A 61-year-old man died after contracting COVID-19, the Health Ministry reported. The death came just two days after a family of four tested positive in the al-Maghazi refugee camp.
The new death and cases represent the first instances of community transmission in the enclave, run by the militant group Hamas. Prior to that, all cases and the lone death reported were linked to Palestinians returning to the territory from abroad, who were placed into quarantine.
MORE: Rising child malnutrition rates to lead to 120,000 excess deaths during COVID-19 pandemic
a man standing in front of a truck: A Palestinian health worker outside a hospital where a 61-year-old man died after contracting COVID-19, in the northern Gaza Strip, Aug. 26, 2020.© Mohammed Salem/Reuters A Palestinian health worker outside a hospital where a 61-year-old man died after contracting COVID-19, in the northern Gaza Strip, Aug. 26, 2020.
The authorities now believe the cases came from a woman who received medical treatment in Jerusalem and contracted the virus there. With the territory’s health care system overstretched after years of conflict, some Palestinians are still permitted access to Jerusalem’s hospitals to receive essential health treatment, such as chemotherapy.
The cases have sparked fears from public health experts that an outbreak could have catastrophic consequences for the 2 million Palestinians living in Gaza, the majority of whom live in overcrowded camps as refugees, where social distancing is impossible.
MORE: How dying and mourning have changed around the world amid coronavirus pandemic
In early March, the authorities declared a public health emergency and locked the territory down. By May, there were only 63 ICU beds equipped with ventilators in Gaza’s government hospitals, “which are barely enough for routine cases” of COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization.
The head of the WHO’s local health emergency team told Reuters that in total the hospitals had enough capacity to treat 250 COVID-19 patients.
The Palestinian health minister, Mai-al Kaila, said in a statement that the ministry will decide soon whether to extend the lockdown currently in place in Gaza.
"We have 26 cases in serious condition and four cases on ventilator across the West Bank and Gaza,” she said in a statement to ABC News, adding that the ministry will decide soon whether to extend the lockdown currently in place in Gaza.