Apple to drop Mask Mandate soon at many of its U.S. stores

Almost two years have passed since the pandemic broke out, and many big companies are trying hard to return to some form of normal functionality. Apple is a prime example of this statement, given the company’s attempts at returning workers to the offices.

Besides workers, Apple has also been trying to change things in its retail stores. For a brief moment during June, the mandatory wearing of face masks in retail stores was dropped but quickly came back in full effect later in July.

It seems, though, that customers will once again be able to enter some stores without a mask. There has not been any official information as of yet, but the folks at Bloomberg have gotten their hands on an internal memo sent out to some of Apple’s stores.

“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,” says the memo. Apparently, this change is based on “the positive trends in vaccinations, testing, and case counts” for the area of each retail store that received the message. Worth mentioning is that customers can enter a store without a mask whether they are vaccinated or not.

The initial number of stores that will adopt the change is more than 100 of the 270 present in the U.S., including those in New York, New Jersey, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Connecticut, and Florida. The number will eventually increase with time. However, the mandate will stay in effect for stores located in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles since both states still require residents to wear masks inside.

While won't have to wear their masks anymore, the same is not true for the employees. According to the memo, “team members have longer interactions in store and are in close proximity throughout the day,” which is Apple’s reasoning behind this decision.