Amber Neely
Apple will soon end the mask requirement for customers in many retail locations in the United States, starting on November 5.
Roughly 100 Apple Stores will drop their mask mandate on Friday, gradually expanding to more locations in the coming days. The new policy will apply to customers regardless of vaccination status.
The company cites falling coronavirus cases and increased vaccination as the reason for the change.
"After careful review, the Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) team, along with leadership, have determined it's safe to update our guidance on masks for customers in your store," according to a memo seen by Bloomberg. "The positive trends in vaccinations, testing, and case counts for your area have made this change possible."
Stores in California, Florida, Arizona, New York, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Connecticut will be the first to loosen mask guidelines. However, the mask mandate will continue in regions such as Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area, where local governments require masks indoors.
Apple employees will still be required to wear a mask for the foreseeable future. The memo points out that "team members have longer interactions in store and are in close proximity throughout the day."
The memo also notes that Apple reserves the right to monitor local guidance and reinstate mandates should the company find it necessary.
On June 15, 2021, Apple had ended its initial mask mandate, allowing vaccinated customers to enter stores without wearing a mask.
The decision was short lived, as the Cupertino-tech giant reinstated masking requirements a month later.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
22 Comments
What about Texas? I'd thought we would be in the first group.
Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless of the mandate easement.
Apple should continue to have mask mandates in its stores. Apple bungled this directive in June, and they seem to be screwing it up again. Going to the Apple Store isn't like going to the grocery store. There's no discussion in the grocery aisles. In contrast the Apple Store is all about discussions with employees. Unless the employees and bystanders are wearing N95 masks, they're not protected from some unvaccinated unmasked idiot distributing virus all over. Everyone has to be wearing a mask for masks to work well. Apple should have a mandate.
Apple should set high safety standards for itself and its customers. Apple shouldn't be satisfied with some minimal legal requirement for masks. I'm sure that Apple's best customers are the ones who are concerned about safety, are vaccinated, and are willing to wear masks, but this isn't an economic argument. It's simply a question about what the right thing to do is.