I'd like to think that people should be able to go to the pharmacy or drug store to pick up medicine or get a vaccine, without risking catching one of the many respiratory viruses currently swirling all around us. This seems like something everyone should be able to get behind, right? (I'm naive, aren't I? Sigh).
If you, too, are a sane, rational human being and believe that drug stores should help protect people from getting sick, the good folks at People's CDC have created a petition for you to sign: It's called "Petition to Drug Stores: Stop In-Store COVID Exposure & Transmission!" The petition's website explains:
Current U.S. policies tell immune-compromised folks at high risk and other vulnerable people to go to pharmacies to get vaccines and boosters – at the same time as people contagious with active COVID infections are going there to get Paxlovid and COVID tests, and others who may not yet know they are contagious are simply shopping. ALL WITH NO MASKS!
This policy makes no sense. Drug stores are community shopping centers and provide healthcare. To make them safer for all of us, please require masks for everybody in the stores. And please come up with plans at the stores to provide people with masks, offer drive-through where available, and curbside service or home delivery when possible.
It is not acceptable to require staff and customers to get exposed at essential service locations when this can be prevented. Pharmacies should be a safe location with infection control prioritized.
It seems like the very least we could do is mask up in one of the few places we KNOW there are both sick people getting medicine, and people trying their best to stay healthy. For the good of yourself and your community, go here and sign.
