LETTER: Is staff exemption really acceptable?

Recently I went to a supermarket in Telford centre for my week’s shopping. I wear a face mask. It agitates me how many customers don’t wear a mask. Nothing is said. In my opinion, no mask, no entry.

I was leaning over a display fridge and the staff member said if you’re not wearing a mask stay away. I said I am wearing a mask, then it occurred to me that my mask had dropped off my nose, so I apologised and pulled it up.

Then I click, neither this staff member or her colleague had a mask on. I pointed this out and she said she works eight hours a day and company policy says she doesn’t need to wear it. So if this is true supermarkets can override the law.

I pointed out my wife works in healthcare and works 14.5 hours a day with a mask on. She then said I was disrespecting her by not wearing a mask. However, apparently as she is exempt from mask wearing she was not disrespecting the customers who are paying her wages.

I paid a lot more attention and came up with this shocking stat. Around 40 per cent of supermarket staff who are customer facing, don’t wear a mask.

Good God we are in the very grips of a second spike, do we honestly have to accept this?

Ross Toal, Telford

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