Mask requirements for US retail Apple store customers

Apple is reportedly planning to begin ending mask requirements for customers at some of its US retail stores as early as Friday (via Bloomberg). The company told employees about the change in an internal memo on Thursday, Bloomberg reported, saying the decision was based on a decline in coronavirus cases and a rise in vaccination rates. Like many companies with multiple locations, Apple has changed its masking requirements for customers more than once since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic last year. In March 2020, the company closed most of its retail stores as the virus spread. It began reopening some US stores in May 2020, with many offering only curbside service and not allowing customers inside. Most stores that did open to customers conducted temperature checks and required customers and employees to wear masks. Apple began reopening all its US retail stores in March 2021 as vaccines became more widely available and eased mask requirements for customers in June as vaccination rates began to rise, only to reinstate them in July as COVID-19 cases surged once again.

Written by : Shalaka Waghamale

9/16/2021