U.S. Apple Stores keep mask mandate despite CDC's new ruling

One by one some of the most popular retail chains in the U.S. have been dropping their mask mandates over the last couple of days. Trader Joe's, Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart and Publix are some of the companies that no longer demand that employees and customers wear face masks inside their stores. In case you're wondering, Bloomberg reports that Apple's mask mandate for U.S. Apple Stores remains in place along with other rules and procedures related to COVID-19.

Noting that its first priority is to the health of employees and consumers, Apple informed its retail staff of its decision not to change its policies yesterday after the Center for Disease Control (CDC) said that people who have been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus no longer need to wear a mask in most public places. Apple hasn't mentioned a time period when it expects to relax its rules although it did say that it is continuing to evaluate its health and safety measures.

During the pandemic, all of Apple's stateside stores have demanded that workers and consumers wear masks. The company also implemented certain rules to reduce the risks of contracting the virus from visiting an Apple Store. For example, the number of shoppers inside a store at one time was reduced sharply and the number of products on display was also reduced to maintain a safe distance between people.

You can check the latest status of the Apple Stores in your area by directing your browser to apple.com/retail.