HUDSON â Several local businesses are allowing employees to wear plastic face shields and health authorities say they might not be as safe as face masks in protecting against the novel coronavirus.
Store employees at Hannaford Supermarket in Livingston, ShopRite in Hudson and Loweâs in Greenport have been seen wearing clear face shields instead of face masks.
Plastic face shields, which are affixed to the wearerâ head with a headband, may not protect against COVID-19 as well as face masks, according to the Columbia County Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
âThe face shieldâs as not as protective as a mask is,â Jack Mabb, director of the Columbia County Department of Health, said Tuesday. âIt is an alternative that the CDC allows for individuals who truly canât wear a mask.â