CLEVELAND, Ohio — Many of the stores at Crocker Park have a sign requesting that masks be worn before entering their establishment.

“I’m wearing a mask right now and I just want to communicate to everybody that I am protecting you," said Dr. Harry Kestler.

Dr. Harry Kestler, a virologist who teaches at Lorain Community College, says until there is a vaccine for COVID-19, the best protection to combat coronavirus is social distancing and wearing a mask. 

"And our leaders have now come around, all embracing the use of masks. Masks are a great thing. They really do the job and hopefully we can copy what's going on in places like the rest of the world. The rest of the world is doing really well. You talk about the original outbreak in China. They are in great shape now. They embraced masks instantaneously," Kestler said.

Apple, Best Buy, Costco, Sam's Club, Starbucks, Target and other major retail chains have recently announced that they will require customers to mask-up before entering.

“If we can all just put a mask on for the next couple of weeks or however long it takes," said Cici Driscoll.

Cici Driscoll is the manager at Lush. She says people think they are being shamed and lash out.

“I've been called every name in the book working at my store and asking people to put their mask on the right way and I can tell you it doesn't feel good when I get called names and ridiculed and it's just to keep everybody safe," said Driscoll. 

Back at the lab, Dr. Kestler says the clock is still ticking on this coronavirus and we are playing catch-up.

“We don't have a lot of time here. We have a very short period of time where we need to put these masks on to protect ourselves. This is what protection looks like," Kestler said.