New CDC rules: Vaccinated people can ditch masks in most indoor places
The CDC announced new guidelines on wearing masks inside for people who are fully vaccinated.
Staff Video, USA TODAY
UPDATE: Find the list of retailers who have dropped masks in this story that is being updated.
Don’t ditch your mask just yet.
Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new masking guidelines saying fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear masks, face coverings will still be required when shopping at some of the nation’s major retailers.
At least for now.
The list of companies that have dropped mask requirements keeps growing with Target and CVS announcing updated policies for fully vaccinated customers Monday. They join Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, Costco and other businesses.
But some businesses are evaluating their mask policies based on the CDC guidance.
Walgreens updated its policy Wednesday.
“Following the latest CDC guidance, beginning today, May 19, Walgreens will no longer require fully vaccinated customers to wear face coverings inside of our stores, unless mandated by state or local regulations,” Walgreens spokesperson Emily Hartwig-Mekstan said in a statement to USA TODAY. “Customers who are not fully vaccinated are asked to continue wearing face coverings, and our team members will continue to wear them while working.”
.
Save better, spend better: Money tips and advice delivered right to your inbox. Sign up here
New mask update: Starbucks makes masks optional for vaccinated customers starting Monday, except where local mandates remain
Target’s updated mask policy started Monday for customers and employees, but the retailer still strongly recommends unvaccinated customers and employees wear masks. And customers who live in areas that have state or local mask requirements may still have to wear them – regardless of vaccination status.
The CDC said Thursday that fully vaccinated Americans, for the most part, no longer need to wear masks indoors and don’t have to wear masks outdoors, even in crowded spaces.
But privately-owned businesses can still require masks, which most of the nation’s largest retailers started mandating last summer. There are other exceptions for when the CDC recommends masks such as in health care settings, transportation hubs such as airports and stations, and public transportation.
Kroger said Thursday in a statement to the Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, that its family of stores will continue to require everyone to wear masks at this time. But the company did say it is reviewing current safety practices, the CDC’s latest guidance, and soliciting feedback from associates to guide the next phase of its policy.
Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers’ union, called the CDC’s guidance confusing and said in a statement that it “fails to consider how it will impact essential workers who face frequent exposure to individuals who are not vaccinated and refuse to wear masks.”
Related Post
Many of us are allowed to take off our masks: Why some of us don’t want to
Reviewed recommendations: Looking for a new mask? Here are the best masks
Masks: Why some will still wear them as country returns to ‘normal’
Experts say once people accept the transition back to not wearing masks, it is important to take small steps toward re-integration.
USA TODAY, Wochit
Perrone said store workers “are still forced to play mask police for shoppers who are unvaccinated and refuse to follow local COVID safety measures,” and asked if they are now supposed to become the “vaccination police.”
“Vaccinations are helping us take control of this pandemic, but we must not let our guard down,” Perrone said. “As one of America’s largest unions for essential workers, UFCW is calling on the CDC and our nation’s leaders to clarify how this new policy will be implemented, how essential workers will be protected, and how these workers will protect the communities they serve.”
CDC guidance: CDC lifts indoor mask guidelines for fully vaccinated people. What does it actually mean?
New mask guidelines: Great for some, confusing for others. What experts say this does to the CDC’s credibility.
Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY; Brook Endale, Cincinnati Enquirer; Jim Weiker and Sarah Donaldson, The Columbus Dispatch
Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko
