Beginning August 9, Masks Are Back

To Our Community,

As you know, I only post a Monday message to our blog when there is important news to share. Today, I have two special updates for you.

Masks

Last Thursday I shared with you data related to COVID cases, infections, and positive test rates in the 5 major counties we live and operate in. Since then, more communities and cities throughout the country are reporting serious upticks in the incidence of the Delta variant in their areas. We are not going to take the chance that the Delta variant takes hold and surges in the Upper Valley.

Therefore, beginning August 9, our mandatory mask requirement will be reinstated at all Co-op locations.

This applies to all employees, vendors, and shoppers. The crux of the policy is simple: no mask, no entry, no exceptions.

Why August 9? I would like to give all of our Co-op teams, our members, shoppers, and vendors, ample time to prepare. By next Monday we will have also resupplied our own mask stockpiles, so please see the Service Desk if you need a mask.

This change in policy does not mean you have to wait until August 9 to mask up. If you prefer to mask up sooner, by all means please do so. The sooner the better.

Note that only our mask and social distancing policies are being reinstated. Other Co-op policies lifted over the past several weeks will remain lifted. You can view the entire list on our COVID dashboard.

Vaccines

I have the same request of you that I asked of Co-op employees earlier today. Plainly stated, if you have not been vaccinated, I implore you to get the vaccine.

The highly contagious Delta variant of the virus has sickened some who are vaccinated, but is ravaging the unvaccinated. Make no mistake about it—if you are unvaccinated, you are a target-rich host for the Delta variant. The maximum protection afforded is vaccination.

In my view, if we are going to share these spaces together, it is our individual and collective responsibility to do what we need to do to keep our locations safer.

We owe it to ourselves, our families, our coworkers, and our communities to protect ourselves. In protecting yourself, you are protecting those around you. So please remember to follow our code of conduct, and obtain a vaccine if you have not done so already.

Wrap Up

Thank you to our members and shoppers for the continued support. We will talk again on Thursday. If you would like to discuss further, reach out to me anytime. Until then remember, be kind to one another and to yourselves, and we look forward to serving you in our stores and at the curbside.

Onward and upward,

Paul

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Paul Guidone

Paul Guidone, CFA, spent the better part of four decades in the investment management business here and abroad. He held positions ranging from analyst through Deputy Chairman and Group CEO, at organizations such as Citigroup (US) and The HSBC Group (London and Hong Kong). He joined the Co-op in 2016 as the CFO and in 2018 became Strategic Advisor to the General Manager. Paul was appointed by the Co-op Board as interim General Manager in March 2020 and General Manager in September 2020. To contact, email PGuidone@coopfoodstore.com.

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