Walmart brings back mask policy with higher delta variable instances

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New York CNN –

Walmart employees are being asked to wear masks indoors again, regardless of vaccination status, in places with “significant or high transmission.” The country’s largest retailer said Friday that the new policy is effective immediately.

Store managers will receive local updates every Monday to define the necessary protocol for their facility.

Customers will not be required to wear a mask, but facilities will post signs reminding them of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new guidelines, and will strongly encourage the use of masks.

Although Walmart (WMT) does not require employees to be vaccinated, it will soon implement a new process to check their vaccine status, and is strongly encouraging workers to receive the vaccination. As part of its vaccination endeavour, the company is offering employees the opportunity to receive a round-the-clock vaccination and up to three days of paid time off for any reaction to the shot.

Additionally, Walmart is doubling existing vaccine incentives to $150. Originally, the company was offering employees $75 for a vaccination. Existing employees who were vaccinated and new employees who were vaccinated before they started at Walmart are all eligible for the bonus.

The decision to reauthorize the mask follows updated guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued on Tuesday, which recommends that fully vaccinated people resume wearing masks indoors in areas with high rates of Covid-19 transmission. This currently includes nearly two-thirds of all US counties.

Walmart first implemented a mandatory mask policy for all shoppers and employees in July 2020. The company then rescinded its policy in May following updated CDC guidance that fully vaccinated individuals were safe to go without masks in most circumstances. However, since the CDC’s initial guidance to repeal mask mandates, the delta variant has caused an increase in cases while the rate of vaccinations has lagged.

Most other big retailers including Target (CBDY), Trader Joe’s, Publix and Costco mandated abandoned mask in May as well, but they are now re-evaluating their policies.

Maria Bruce, a Publix spokeswoman, said the company is “reviewing the updated CDC guidelines” and “will provide updates regarding our policies as appropriate,” following the new guidelines Tuesday.

Enforcing mask rules with customers has been a challenge for retailers throughout the pandemic. Employees are often responsible for monitoring customer behavior, and interactions have turned violent. Last month, a Georgia grocery clerk was murdered by a customer in a dispute over masks.

As the pandemic continues, customers are being asked to “observe the guidance provided by local retailers” and “respect employees and fellow customers who may continue to wear masks for the safety of themselves and their families,” Brian Dodge, president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, said in a statement today. Tuesday.

CNN Business’s Nathaniel Merson contributed to this report.

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