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Letter: Unmasked faces plentiful at Salmon Arm stores

Writer concerned residents, businesses have reverted to “old normal” too soon
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Are we trying to out-do Kelowna?

On Monday, July 13, as I set out on my twice-per-week shopping sortie at noon. I was dressed in my usual octogenarian survival outfit as a retired proctologist complete with gloves and mask.

I fully expected to be but one of many masked shoppers, but was surprised to see how things have changed since Canada Day at our local malls as absolutely nobody was masked or following Dr. Henry’s instructions, and there were crowds of summer folks ages 6 to 60 in the parking lots and stores disregarding even the most basic self-distancing protocols.

What happened? Did I miss the latest memo from Dr. Henry?

Or are we trying to replace Kelowna as the top news item in the province when it comes to common sense and the spread of COVID-19?

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Where were those who greeted you last week at various store entrances spraying you and the carts with hand sanitizer and counting every shopper? And where the heck were their masks?

It was as if I had entered some kind of time machine and stepped out of my car in Florida! And we all know where their numbers are going.

If you feel that we have reverted to the ‘old normal’ when it comes to this pandemic, way too soon, I urge you to contact Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison or the Interior Health COVID-19 specialists and remind them that we are not out of the woods yet – not by a long shot.

How many urgent-care beds do we have at the Salmon Arm hospital?

Paul Burrows,

Salmon Arm Common Sense Society