Costco, Walmart and Trader Joe’s each announced Friday that they’re lifting mask guidelines for vaccinated customers, following new guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While the announcements from the companies allow for vaccinated customers to shop without having to wear face masks, the companies also stressed that they would be abiding by state or local mandates in place.
“People are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine,” Costco said in a statement, also stressing that the company would continue to abide by state and local mandates in place.
Walmart executives reportedly wrote a letter urging employees at Sam’s Club and Walmart stores to get vaccinated, adding that “employees who are fully vaccinated” will be allowed to work without having to wear their masks beginning May 18, CNN reported.
The letter from the executives also stated that the company would abide by state and local mandates currently in place.
Trader Joe’s issued an update on their website regarding their mask policy, saying they “encourage” customers to abide by the guidance that states that fully vaccinated customers do not have to wear masks.
The CDC released updated mask guidelines on Thursday which lets vaccinated people to ditch mask-wearing indoors under most circumstances.
“Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities – large or small – without wearing a mask or physically distancing,” Rochelle Walensky, director for the CDC, explained during a press conference. “If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.”
