Business operators may feel caught between a rock and a hard place in deciding whether to stick with masks now that they’re no longer required in most indoor public spaces, says a UVic entrepreneurship professor.
The shift from government to individual responsibility puts businesses squarely in the middle of the heated debate about mask wearing, Brock Smith said Friday.
“It was a little bit easier when the government made the decisions and took the flack, and now it’s going to be the individual business owner who makes the decision that takes the flack,” Brock Smith said Friday.
Another decision that will be left to business operators is whether to require the B.C. Vaccine Card — showing proof of vaccination — after April 8 at non-essential businesses and venues.
Smith suggests businesses could consider finding middle ground by accommodating people according to their masking preference. For example, a movie theatre could have different sections for people who are masked and unmasked. Or movies could be shown at different times for those who wear masks and those who do not.
He noted that early in the pandemic, supermarkets set aside early-morning hours for seniors and those with health issues to do their shopping.
Businesses responding differently to the mask issue could confuse customers, Smith said.
On Friday, some stores in the capital region still had only fully masked patrons, while others were a mix of masked and unmasked.
At Robinson’s Outdoor Store on Broad Street, co-owner Erin Boggs said both masked or unmasked customers are welcome. Staff wore masks on Friday, following a discussion. “But we are allowing them to make that choice for themselves.”
Mask wearing has been difficult to enforce with some customers, Boggs said. “At this point, the world is divided enough and we just want this to be a welcoming place.”
The store’s mandatory mask sign and its plexiglass dividers came down Friday morning. Social distancing in still in effect in the footwear section to avoid crowding.
At the Bay Centre in downtown Victoria, masks are optional and individual businesses have the choice of requiring them or not, said Darlene Holstein, general manager of the shopping centre. Personal-service businesses such as hair and nail salons are more likely to require masks.
Ian Tostenson, chief executive of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association, welcomed the lifting of the mask mandate, saying he visited restaurants and talked to representatives to get a feel for the situation on Friday.
He expects the majority of restaurants will likely drop the mask requirement, especially since the vaccine card remains in effect until April 8. “So that’s another sort of safety check.”
Tostenson said he went to one busy Vancouver restaurant on Friday where no servers wore masks. “Everyone’s having fun. Everyone’s smiling,” he said, noting servers were given the choice of whether to wear a mask.
Given that the removal of the mask requirement comes amid high vaccination rates in B.C., Tostenson said it would be difficult for an operator to insist on masks. “I think a lot of people would go: ‘Really? Because we are tired of this.’ ”
Brian Williams, chief executive of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, said the “incredible” efforts of businesses helped keep the region safe, to the point where the mask mandate could be removed.
“They’ve gone above and beyond to keep customers and staff safe, allowing our health care system to stay sustainable while finding innovative ways to continue providing goods and services,” he said.
“Those efforts will now allow us the freedom to relax and enjoy each other’s company as we prepare for an incredible spring and summer.”
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