Walmart to End Mask Requirement for Vaccinated Customers, Employees

Walmart will no longer require its customers and employees to wear masks inside stores as long as they are fully vaccinated starting next Tuesday, according to a report by the Hill.

The company’s decision comes the day after new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were announced, saying, “fully vaccinated Americans can go without masks in most settings, including indoors.”

The announcement came as a memo to employees on Friday, stating, “customers can shop without a mask effectively immediately, and associates will not need to wear a mask to work starting Tuesday.”

Walmart did not indicate how the store would be able to check if customers or its associates are fully vaccinated, according to the report. The retail chain did say they will “continue to request that non-vaccinated customers and members wear face coverings in our stores and clubs,” additionally adding, “[w]e will update the signage in our facilities to reflect this.”

The Hill reported the memo did mention “fully vaccinated” is “two weeks following the second Pfizer or Moderna dose or two weeks following the single Johnson & Johnson dose.”

Walmart has also said in their memo, the company will now “review and update guidance about mask mandates for ‘certain job codes for health and sanitation purposes’ depending on local requirements.”

The memo read:

Masks will also continue to be required by some city and state ordinances, and we will follow those requirements. There may also be local conditions, regulatory changes or laws that affect our guidance. We will be communicating with your local store, club or facility management team as regulations change so they can keep you informed.

According to the report, the retail giant also said, “employees would receive $75 as a ‘thank you’ if they got vaccinated,” adding, the employees would “need to show proof they have been vaccinated starting on Tuesday and $75 will be added to their paycheck.”

Popular grocery store chain, Trader Joe’s, also announced Friday they will no longer require customers to wear masks but suggested “customers to follow the guidance of health officials, including, as appropriate, CDC guidelines that advise customers who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks while shopping,” according to the report.