A man wears a mask while passing through downtown Pendleton on Wednesday, July 15. The state of Oregon put in place a requirement that masks be worn inside and outside when social distancing cannot be maintained.

UMATILLA COUNTY — Jeanie Lemens wants the community to think about people like her.

Last year, Lemens was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer. As someone who is immunocompromised, the longtime Pendleton resident said she wants neighbors and strangers to consider people at higher risk for COVID-19 when it comes to wearing masks in public spaces.

“We’re in the middle of a pandemic and nobody is wearing a mask,” she said.

Lemens said on the rare occasions she leaves her home for cancer treatment, she noticed many customers not wearing masks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wearing a face covering over the nose and mouth helps protect others in case a person is an asymptomatic carrier. Mandatory face coverings in the state of Oregon went into effect July 1. Enforcement for the mandate is through the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Oregon Liquor Control Commission, with penalties for businesses that don’t comply, according to Gov. Kate Brown.

Umatilla County has a total of 1,189 confirmed cases as of Thursday, making it the fourth-highest county for confirmed COVID-19 cases, right after Multnomah, Washington and Marion counties, according to Oregon Health Authority.

The population for Umatilla County is 77,950, while the population for Multnomah County, Washington County and Marion County is 812,855, 601,592 and 347,818, respectively, according to a July 2019 report from the United States Census Bureau.

Lemens said her priority for wearing a mask is to not get anyone else sick in case she is an asymptomatic carrier.

“It’s not necessarily myself,” she said about wearing a mask. “I’m trying to protect other people because if I unknowingly have the virus, at least I’m doing the best I can to not get somebody else sick.”

Businesses have seen most people comply with the mask mandate.

Addison Schulberg, the general manager of the owners of Great Pacific Wine and Coffee Co., recalled a customer who refused to wear a mask. Schulberg had followed him around the restaurant, asking him to put on the mask or leave.

“Obviously, that’s an extreme case,” he said. “Everyone else has mostly been happy to comply, while others are annoyed by it and they comply once you provide them with equipment.”

Rodney Burt, co-owner of OMG! Burgers & Brew in Pendleton, said the Main Street restaurant has had issues with noncompliant patrons.

”It was really tough the first week. A lot of people didn’t want to wear a mask,” he said.

Burt said more people this week have complied, with most patrons understanding the policy will be enforced.

“We are running a business, and we can’t be shut down,” he said. “We’ve got 20 employees and their families that depend on us. It puts us at risk not only health wise but financially if we get fined.”

Krystal Dunagan, the manager of Rue 21 in Hermiston, said employees will hand out masks to those who need it if some are in stock. Customers not wearing a mask can stay only if there are few shoppers in the store. However, Dunagan said staff are not going to help them without a mask. The only assistance staff can provide is cashing out because cashiers are provided with sneeze guards.

If people are being hostile, Dunagan said, per OSHA instruction, those customers are considered trespassing, but this has not occurred in her store.

State Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, during a virtual town hall on July 9 encouraged everyone to wear masks to “help us get through this a little quicker” and protect others. Commissioner George Murdock mentioned in a July 15 Umatilla County Board of Commissioners meeting the county will launch a campaign promoting masks in an effort to help with compliance.

Lemens said she hopes the community understands why wearing a mask is important despite the possible inconvenience and asks people to have empathy and to think of others.