Stores operated by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, known as ABC Stores, say they will now deny entry to any customer not wearing a mask. The Virginia ABC had previously required all customers to wear a mask or face covering, but it will enforce the policy effective Monday.

The authority told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that greeters at the front of stores would bar customer entry if necessary to enforce the mask mandate.

“The vast majority of our customers have followed our direction these last few weeks and consistently wear face masks in our stores; however our no mask, no entry policy is to ensure as safe a shopping experience as feasible,” Virginia ABC’s chief executive officer Travis Hill said in a press release announcing the move. “We know that it may not be possible for everyone to wear a face covering. In those cases, we suggest curbside pickup as an alternative to in-store shopping.”

The Virginia ABC says it will “make every attempt” to provide masks to customers who come to liquor stores without them.

After sustained declines in new COVID-19 cases in June, infections in Virginia are on the rise. On Friday, the state recorded 1084 new cases, the highest single-day increase since May. On Monday, the state recorded 945 new confirmed cases.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced last week that he would be stepping up his enforcement of face mask requirements by sending teams of inspectors to conduct surprise visits to businesses in the Commonwealth. Northam issued an executive order mandating masks inside businesses, houses of worship, public transportation and government offices in May; the order says violations can be punished as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Virginia House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert (Shenandoah) has spoken out against the mask order, telling DCist/WAMU that enforcing the order puts businesses in an “untenable position” where they must force unwilling customers to comply with the order in order to keep their licenses.

Scientific studies suggest that masks can significantly reduce viral transmission of the coronavirus. Modeling from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation earlier this month suggests that if there was near-universal wearing of cloth or homemade masks, the U.S. could prevent between 17,742 and 28,030 deaths before Oct. 1.