Earlier this week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear their masks outdoors or in most indoor settings, paving the way for many companies to relax their mask rules.
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Following the recommendation change, several stores announced that they would no longer require vaccinated customers to wear masks inside, including Walmart, Trader Joe's, Starbucks, and Costco, but for the time being, Apple retail stores will continue to ask customers to wear masks.
According to Bloomberg, Apple has told its U.S. retail store locations that the mask mandate and other COVID-19 procedures will remain in place for the time being, though it is evaluating health and safety measures. Apple said that its priority is employee and customer safety, and did not provide employees with a timeline for when its guidelines might shift.
The CDC's mask guidelines do not overrule mandates put in place by states, and while some states have changed their rules to match the CDC's recommendations, others have not. States like Michigan, Connecticut, North Carolina, Minnesota, and others have updated their mask wearing guidance and will no longer require masks in most settings, but other states like Hawaii and Massachusetts have opted to keep restrictions in place. California, where Apple's main corporate campuses are located, has not yet announced any mask changes.
Mask rules are likely to continue to change as states and retailers adjust to the CDC's new recommendations. Apple has required masks in retail locations since the beginning of the pandemic and has opened and closed stores on a rolling basis since last year based on local conditions.
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Top Rated Comments
It's supposed to protect you from serious effects and hospitalization. Which it absolutely does.
But you can (and it HAS been shown in multiple instances) still pass it along to other people. (Besides, what does 95% efficacy mean to you, anyway?)
I am happy for all stores to continue to mandate masks ’till the end of the year.
Even though I am fully vaccinated, I have no isue wearing a mask around other people for another year or two. It is the nice and polite thing to do.
We are nowhere near herd immunity with only 1/3 fully vaccinated in the US and with 1/3 refusing to get vaccinated … plus half the people refuse to get their kids vaccinated … meaning we will never get to that critical 80% protected.
We have already had anti-maskers for a whole year. Now it will only get worse.
A segment of the population routinely lies about having a medical excemption, their animal being a service animal, them having a disability, etc … so being vaccinated will be the next automatic lie from the anti-maskers and anti-vaxers.
And remember, the vaccine only prevents you from severe illness. You can still get covid, you can still get sick, you can still get a bad reaction as you’re getting over it, but you should not be that bad that you get into the hospital. Now they’re starting to walk back on the part about spreading after vaccination, but I have not seen the studies or data on that …
Anyhow. Be smart. Be safe. Mask up around strangers.
Was surprised how quickly some of these companies did away with the policy after the CDC announcement - I wonder how the proof of vaccination will be provided? The slightly thicker than printer paper cardstock vaccine record card isn't going to last long. I'm told that some places refuse to laminate it for fear of destroying it. Well, is a photo of my vaccine card good enough?
Going to be interesting. I'm very happy with how Apple has treated its employees - got to talk to a few when they opened back up - employees were all paid, many took the time to take college classes, get certifications, etc (from what I was told).