A man was left “shocked and embarrassed” after a Tesco worker allegedly told him to stay away from her because he was wearing a facemask.
The customer, named as Kazi, 23, had travelled back from his parents’ home in south-east Asia to Hull on Sunday where he has been studying accounting for the last three years.
He had been wearing the face mask throughout the journey, with heightened fears over the coronavirus, with no problems until his return to Hull.
But when he entered the Tesco superstore that all changed, Hull Live reports.
He said: “I had just returned from a 24-hour journey back from southeast Asia and I went into Tesco to buy an umbrella.
“I went upstairs to the counter and said ‘hello, can you tell where I can find the umbrellas?’
“She looked at me and gave a little cry before telling me to stay back and not come near her. I wasn’t allowed within 10 to 15 feet of her.
“I didn’t really understand what was happening. There were other customers around and I felt very embarrassed.
“I spoke to the duty manager as I didn’t want someone else to experience what I did. She was apologetic.”
Kazi admits he was bemused by the experience but bears the staff member no ill-will.
He said: “I have never experienced a reaction like that before.
“I wondered whether I had done something to offend somebody. I don’t think it was the best reaction.
“I am not angry about what happened but just a little bewildered. I certainly don’t want to see the staff member punished.
“I just want to raise awareness. I notice almost no one in Hull is wearing a mask but back at my parents’ home around 50 per cent wear masks and it was similar at Doha airport.
“Even when I arrived in Manchester quite a few people were wearing masks and no one batted an eyelid while I wore one.
But Kazi says he hasn’t just been wearing the mask because of the coronavirus.
He said: “I wasn’t just wearing the mask because of coronavirus, I also suffer allergies as a result of pollution. Doctors have advised me to wear it.
“Perhaps because Hull is a smaller city I have got this reaction but just because I wore a mask it didn’t mean I was infected with coronavirus.
“I don’t blame the woman for her reaction but I just want to raise awareness.
A spokesman for Tesco declined to comment on the incident saying it was a personal matter for the member of staff and nothing to do with the supermarket’s policy.
