As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Apple has been requiring all customers to wear a mask in its retail stores, a policy the company unsuccessfully tried to discontinue last year. However, it seems that the company once again wants to drop the mask mandate for Apple Stores in the United States.
As reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday, the company told its employees in a memo that customers will no longer be required to wear a mask in “eligible stores.” However, Apple Store employees will still be required to wear masks. At the same time, Apple says it will continue to recommend that everyone should wear masks in its stores.
The new policy applies to Apple Stores located in Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, and other states that no longer require people to wear a mask. The report notes that the mask mandate will remain valid in a few states like Hawaii, which have “stricter guidelines” on wearing a mask.
After dropping the mask requirement in November 2021, Apple reinstated the mandate in its retail stores in December as the numbers of COVID-19 cases rose again in the United States due to new variants. The company has also shut down multiple stores across the United States and Canada during the past three months to prevent the spread of COVID.
As the situation improves, Apple also plans to resume in-store classes and other activities that have been suspended in Apple Stores. The company didn’t provide a public statement about the new policies.
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