Trader Joe’s: Fully vaccinated shoppers don’t have to wear masks
On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fully vaccinated people don’t have to wear masks or practice social distancing indoors or outdoors, except when in healthcare settings, on public transportation, or in other areas where governments require masks. People will still need to follow workplace and local businesses’ mask guidance, the CDC said.
“We encourage 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,” the grocery chain said in a statement on its website Friday.
Trader Joe’s is encouraging customers to follow the CDC’s latest guidance.
Trader Joe’s is keeping many of its pandemic policies in place, such as wellness checks for employees and spacing people out within its stores, according to the company’s statement. The grocery chain will not request or require proof of vaccination from its customers, Trader Joe’s spokesperson Kenya Friend-Daniel told CNN Business in an email. She noted that employees still have to wear masks at this time.
“As a destination for COVID vaccine and testing, we have decided to keep our current face covering policy in place for the time being,” Mekstan told CNN Business in an email Friday.
Lisa LaBruno, senior executive vice president at the Retail Industry Leaders Association, said on Thursday the guidance “creates ambiguity” for retailers because the national guidance may be out of step with local orders.
“These conflicting positions put retailers and their employees in incredibly difficult situations,” she said.
