Masks now required for employees who interact with customers

Governor Raimondo's new order went into effect for Rhode Island businesses Saturday.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Keep it covered: starting Saturday masks are required across the state for employees who interact with customers.

It’s one more rule to follow for small businesses like Nikki’s Liquors in Providence.

“There’s definitely pain and frustration, there’s no question about that,” said co-owner Valerie Iannazzi. “I think we’re all a little crazy certainly some days and say, ‘When’s this going to end?’ But we’re all in this together. No one is exempt from this.”

The owners say they’ve been lucky to find enough hand sanitizer to place stations in the store, and to have a friend who could make masks for their employees.

But for other small businesses, getting enough masks for employees was more of a challenge.

At Tom’s Market in Coventry, the store’s owner says he was initially concerned about finding enough masks for his employees.

But he says after posting that on Facebook community members have been stepping up to donate masks.

“We have well over 100 employees full-time,” said owner Glenn Place. “People need to take and wash their masks every day, so they needed at least a couple of masks. And the community was super supportive in putting that together.”

The community also seems largely supportive of the market’s efforts to maintain social distancing, limit store capacity, and encourage customers to wear masks.

The vast majority of customers did wear masks even though the owner says he won’t turn away customers who aren’t wearing one.

The order doesn’t require them for people whose health could be damaged or for children under two.

“I think that kind of should be a choice, more than a law, basically,” said Jimmy Greeley of Coventry.

Other customers say there’s no excuse not to have some kind of covering that could help flatten the curve and ultimately save lives.

“It keeps us safer, and gets this over with,” said Elise Rapoza of  Coventry. “I want this to end.”

©WLNE-TV/ABC 6 2020