Target no longer requires employees and customers to wear masks inside its store, citing declining COVID-19 infection cases nationwide.
It is the first time the retail giant has dropped the mask mandate -- regardless of whether people were vaccinated or not -- since it first began requiring face coverings in 2020, the Star-Tribune of Minneapolis reported.
In a statement on its coronavirus response site, Target stated that “As COVID-19 cases continue to decline across the country, Target will not require our U.S. team members or guests to wear masks, as local regulations allow.”
Target added that employees and guests should consult the latest public health guidance policies, get vaccinated and make decisions to keep themselves and their families safe, KMSP-TV reported.
>> Coronavirus: Target employees will be required to wear masks in high-risk areas
Target implemented policies in August 2020 that required customers to wear masks as a health precaution, using guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Star-Tribune reported.
After requiring that only people who were not vaccinated had to wear masks, Target in August 2021 changed its policy and mandated that employees had to wear masks in counties that had a substantial or high risk of COVID-19 transmission because of the delta variant.
>> Coronavirus: Walmart drops mask mandate for fully vaccinated employees
Target’s move follows a similar action by Walmart on Feb. 11. In a memo sent to employees, Walmart said that if they were fully vaccinated, they would no longer be required to wear masks while working at Walmart or Sam’s Club stores, with a few exceptions.
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