LAUREL, Md. — Question 1:
Does Walmart have a policy mandating that people wear masks, in which face shields would not be sufficient?
Answer 2:
No. Walmart does have a requirement that customers wear face coverings in Maryland stores. However, Walmart confirmed for The Verify Team, that face shields are sufficient.
Source:
Walmart Spokesperson
Dr. Clifford Mitchell, Director of Environmental Health Bureau at Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Process:
The Verify Team received an email from a Maryland woman, named Tierra Smith, who said she had a negative experience at a Walmart in Laurel, Md.
"Upon arriving at the store," she wrote. "I was stopped by a Walmart associate at the door telling me that the face mask I have on was not allowed in the store. My immediate reaction nothing short of puzzled. As I frequent this Walmart all the time with the exact same face mask on. "
Smith was wearing a face shield, which she thought was sufficient for shopping in Walmart. She recorded her interaction with a manager at the store, who told her that she needed a mask instead.
"You don't have a mask," the manager can be heard saying in the recording. "You have a shield. That's a shield."
To find the truth, the Verify Team first looked at local laws, tracking down an executive order from mid-April, signed by Gov. Larry Hogan. The order required that customers wear "face coverings," although it does not specify what type of covering should be used.
The Verify Team then reached out to Walmart, providing them with Tierra's video, as well as information about the incident. Hours later, a spokesperson responded, confirming that this was a mistake, and that face shields are, in fact, allowed in Walmart stores.
"The miscommunication at the Laurel, Md. location is being addressed," a spokesperson wrote in a statement. "And we're working to get in touch with the customer to apologize and remedy the situation."
We can Verify that Tierra should have been allowed to shop with a face shield.
Question 2:
Is there any evidence that a mask protects people better than a face shield?
Answer 2:
Yes. Public health experts told the Verify Team that masks are preferable to face shields, since they filter the air, rather than simply block it.
Source:
Dr. Clifford Mitchell, Director of Environmental Health Bureau at Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Process:
Amid Tierra Smith's interaction at the Maryland Walmart, the Verify Team is tackling another important public health question. Is it preferable to wear a mask, rather than a shield.
To find out the facts, The Verify Team spoke with Dr. Clifford Mitchell, the Director of the Environmental Health Bureau, within the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,
"Face shields don't filter," he said. "But they physically block."
Mitchell said that for this reason, they are typically less effective in combating the spread of the virus.
"If you have this very, very fine respiratory droplet that's hanging in the air, as a very small particle," he said. "It actually will float around the edge, or under the edge of the face shield, and you'll be able to inhale it."
Mitchell said that some with health conditions, might be forced to wear a face shield instead. For those healthy enough to choose though, he recommended a mask.