Norwich Bookstore

As a senior citizen, I - like many others - am concerned by the CDC stance that it is now OK for me to shop without a mask. I was privileged to get my vaccine early when it was distributed in age bands. Many others who work in retail and public-facing jobs are just now eligible for their first or second jab. It will be a few weeks before they reach full immunity. The politicians and press call these younger workers essential, yet they are treated as expendable.

Telling each town and business to set its own rules harks back to the confusion of the early days of the pandemic when small business owners like us were the leaders in creating a safer environment. 

Out of respect for the younger cohort which hasn't been fully vaccinated, we require masks inside our store. We are still learning about the transmission of Covid-19. It is impossible to know - or ask - if a customer coming through the door is vaccinated or an anti-masker. Erring on the side of caution harms no one.

We've come this far, let's not jeopardize the health and safety of the next generations. - Liza