Local worker unfairly called out

Editor: On Tuesday in Steve Mann’s column, he sarcastically called a checker at our local Sprouts store “Mr. Friendly” for enforcing the store’s mask policy. Mr. Mann felt sorry for Heather who “couldn’t breathe” with the mask covering her nose. Mr. Mann, your nose is connected to you respiratory system, as is your mouth. COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory virus. Not wearing a mask over your nose is similar to not wearing a mask at all. For a store that has a mandatory mask policy, it follows that they would enforce that a mask cover the nose as well as the mouth. For those who get on a plane these days it is not optional to not have a mask over your nose. If you refuse you will be asked to deplane and may possibly be but on a “no fly” list. As to why Heather was never confronted before, likely no one wanted to risk a possible confrontation or the possibility of being made to feel ridiculous in the local newspaper. I am only grateful that Mann did not know “Mr. Friendly’s” name. MARYANN MAGGIO Lodi