Apple plans to dial back mask mandate in U.S. stores

Posted:
in General Discussion
Apple will soon end the mask requirement for customers in many retail locations in the United States, starting on November 5.




Roughly 100 Apple Stores will drop their mask mandate on Friday, gradually expanding to more locations in the coming days. The new policy will apply to customers regardless of vaccination status.

The company cites falling coronavirus cases and increased vaccination as the reason for the change.

"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," according to a memo seen by Bloomberg. "The positive trends in vaccinations, testing, and case counts for your area have made this change possible."

Stores in California, Florida, Arizona, New York, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Connecticut will be the first to loosen mask guidelines. However, the mask mandate will continue in regions such as Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area, where local governments require masks indoors.

Apple employees will still be required to wear a mask for the foreseeable future. The memo points out that "team members have longer interactions in store and are in close proximity throughout the day."

The memo also notes that Apple reserves the right to monitor local guidance and reinstate mandates should the company find it necessary.

On June 15, 2021, Apple had ended its initial mask mandate, allowing vaccinated customers to enter stores without wearing a mask.

The decision was short lived, as the Cupertino-tech giant reinstated masking requirements a month later.

Read on AppleInsider
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 22
    What about Texas?  I'd thought we would be in the first group.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 2 of 22
    Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless  of the mandate easement.
    DogpersonsconosciutotwokatmewGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 3 of 22
    iOS_Guy80 said:
    Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless  of the mandate easement.
    Who cares?
    holmstockdibilllibertymatterswilliamlondon
  • Reply 4 of 22
    Alex_VAlex_V Posts: 212member
    iOS_Guy80 said:
    Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless  of the mandate easement.
    Agree with you. 
    DogpersonsconosciutoGeorgeBMacwilliamlondon
  • Reply 5 of 22
    dh87dh87 Posts: 73member
    Apple should continue to have mask mandates in its stores.  Apple bungled this directive in June, and they seem to be screwing it up again.  Going to the Apple Store isn't like going to the grocery store.  There's no discussion in the grocery aisles.  In contrast the Apple Store is all about discussions with employees.  Unless the employees and bystanders are wearing N95 masks, they're not protected from some unvaccinated unmasked idiot distributing virus all over.  Everyone has to be wearing a mask for masks to work well.  Apple should have a mandate.

    Apple should set high safety standards for itself and its customers.  Apple shouldn't be satisfied with some minimal legal requirement for masks.  I'm sure that Apple's best customers are the ones who are concerned about safety, are vaccinated, and are willing to wear masks, but this isn't an economic argument.  It's simply a question about what the right thing to do is.
    GeorgeBMacwilliamlondonAlex_V
  • Reply 6 of 22
    What about Texas?  I'd thought we would be in the first group.
    What would possibly make you think that? Texas' vaccination rate is poor, it has an idiotic anti-vaxxer governor, and risks are still higher than average there.
    GeorgeBMacforegoneconclusionwilliamlondonAlex_V
  • Reply 7 of 22
    n2macs said:
    iOS_Guy80 said:
    Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless  of the mandate easement.
    Who cares?
    so far, everybody in this thread but for you.

    Actually you seem rather triggered so I'd say you care as well.
    GeorgeBMacforegoneconclusionwilliamlondon
  • Reply 8 of 22
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    What about Texas?  I'd thought we would be in the first group.
    What would possibly make you think that? Texas' vaccination rate is poor, it has an idiotic anti-vaxxer governor, and risks are still higher than average there.
    Vaccination rates are listed here, Texas doesn't look too bad with the same rate as Arizona, which is in the list in the article:

    https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/these-states-have-the-best-covid-19-vaccination-rates

    For older age groups and other high risk groups, it's probably wise to take other precautions in addition to the vaccine, ideally not visiting a store until infection rates are down but at least keeping distance, masking, not having conversations. The infection rates spiked massively in November last year all the way through February, hopefully the vaccinations will prevent another wave like that this year. Everybody was wearing masks and distancing in 2020 and stores had restrictions but cases shot up globally so we're depending on the vaccinations.

    I wondered if they could install better air filtering systems in stores. Given that it's infected particles in the air do something like install giant fans in the stores pulling the air either up to the ceiling or down to the floor. Even just air purifiers at the tables should help a bit as they can prevent particles staying in the air between different groups of visitors:

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-air-purifiers-particles/
    dewme
  • Reply 9 of 22
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    n2macs said:
    iOS_Guy80 said:
    Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless  of the mandate easement.
    Who cares?
    "Who cares"?
    Me!  I care!  I appreciate others who do the things necessary to avoid infecting me and others around them.  And, I avoid places that do not encourage or enforce those precautions.

    COVID is a nasty disease that can affect multiple parts of the body and, even if it doesn't kill you, it can leave you disabled.  I want to protect myself from it as much as possible -- and that includes avoiding those people and places who endanger me.
    dh87sconosciuto
  • Reply 10 of 22
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    Marvin said:
    What about Texas?  I'd thought we would be in the first group.
    What would possibly make you think that? Texas' vaccination rate is poor, it has an idiotic anti-vaxxer governor, and risks are still higher than average there.
    Vaccination rates are listed here, Texas doesn't look too bad with the same rate as Arizona, which is in the list in the article:

    https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/these-states-have-the-best-covid-19-vaccination-rates

    For older age groups and other high risk groups, it's probably wise to take other precautions in addition to the vaccine, ideally not visiting a store until infection rates are down but at least keeping distance, masking, not having conversations. The infection rates spiked massively in November last year all the way through February, hopefully the vaccinations will prevent another wave like that this year. Everybody was wearing masks and distancing in 2020 and stores had restrictions but cases shot up globally so we're depending on the vaccinations.

    I wondered if they could install better air filtering systems in stores. Given that it's infected particles in the air do something like install giant fans in the stores pulling the air either up to the ceiling or down to the floor. Even just air purifiers at the tables should help a bit as they can prevent particles staying in the air between different groups of visitors:

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-air-purifiers-particles/

    My Apple Store is in the basement of a shopping mall.  I doubt that they have any option of improving ventilation without moving the whole store.

    As an aside, I saw a picture of my old Junior High School the other day and some of the windows were open.  The school's still there and operating -- but the windows no longer open.  At the time we thought that was progress -- switching from outside air to conditioned, recirculated air!   LOL!
  • Reply 11 of 22
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,336member
    n2macs said:
    iOS_Guy80 said:
    Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless  of the mandate easement.
    Who cares?
    Obviously you do...

    williamlondonsconosciuto
  • Reply 12 of 22
    How many times in the past 19 months has a "downward trend" been used as an excuse to relax standards? The U.S. never learns. 
    GeorgeBMacwilliamlondonFred257sconosciuto
  • Reply 13 of 22
    Sanity restored, finally.
    ibillwilliamlondon
  • Reply 14 of 22
    n2macs said:
    iOS_Guy80 said:
    Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless  of the mandate easement.
    Who cares?
    "Who cares"?
    Me!  I care!  I appreciate others who do the things necessary to avoid infecting me and others around them.  And, I avoid places that do not encourage or enforce those precautions.

    COVID is a nasty disease that can affect multiple parts of the body and, even if it doesn't kill you, it can leave you disabled.  I want to protect myself from it as much as possible -- and that includes avoiding those people and places who endanger me.
    Kiddo, Thank you for lecture. We know it. Probably spend far more time living on this planet. Keep your insecurities to yourself. Life will teach you that. Now imposing something on some people may get you hurt in life. So watch out and learn.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 15 of 22
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    dh87 said:
    Apple should continue to have mask mandates in its stores.  Apple bungled this directive in June, and they seem to be screwing it up again.  Going to the Apple Store isn't like going to the grocery store.  There's no discussion in the grocery aisles.  In contrast the Apple Store is all about discussions with employees.  Unless the employees and bystanders are wearing N95 masks, they're not protected from some unvaccinated unmasked idiot distributing virus all over.  Everyone has to be wearing a mask for masks to work well.  Apple should have a mandate.

    Apple should set high safety standards for itself and its customers.  Apple shouldn't be satisfied with some minimal legal requirement for masks.  I'm sure that Apple's best customers are the ones who are concerned about safety, are vaccinated, and are willing to wear masks, but this isn't an economic argument.  It's simply a question about what the right thing to do is.
    If you are vaccinated then you should not worry. Or does the vaccine work... "idiot"?

    That's the kind of black and white logic used by many propaganda sites to spread their lies, misinformation and propaganda.  The question is:  do their foolish followers believe it -- or just want to believe it?

    Vaccines both reduce the spread of the virus and protect those who have it -- but does neither 100% perfectly.
    dh87sconosciuto
  • Reply 16 of 22
    dh87 said:
    Unless the employees and bystanders are wearing N95 masks, they're not protected from some unvaccinated unmasked idiot distributing virus all over.  

    Uh...you do know that vaccinated people can still transmit the virus as well? 

    All the major new outlets even say as such. Here is one:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59077036

    "Individuals who have had two vaccine doses can be just as infectious as those who have not been jabbed."


    So this is why I still wear masks even at stores and gyms even though mandates have been lifted in my area and yes, I have got my 2 Pfizers since April. I want to hear it is low to non-existent anymore before I stop wearing a mask.
  • Reply 17 of 22
    Fred257Fred257 Posts: 236member
    I’ll stick to shopping online then. 

    It will also save me money as I won’t see something else to buy I don’t need.

    Thanks for saving me money Apple and spreading more COVD so that we can get to herd immunity faster 😆
    williamlondonGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 18 of 22
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    dh87 said:
    Unless the employees and bystanders are wearing N95 masks, they're not protected from some unvaccinated unmasked idiot distributing virus all over.  

    Uh...you do know that vaccinated people can still transmit the virus as well? 

    ....


    So this is why I still wear masks even at stores and gyms even though mandates have been lifted in my area and yes, I have got my 2 Pfizers since April. I want to hear it is low to non-existent anymore before I stop wearing a mask.
    Yes, vaccinated people can still transmit the virus.  But that's a false argument because they do so at a lower rate than the unvaccinated for multiple reasons:  they are less likely to become infected, and if they do, they tend to be less infectious to the general public and for a shorter period of time. 

    The original problem with the virus was not only its rates of serious morbidity and mortality but because it was very quickly and easily transmitted to multiple others.  The vaccines reduce all three of those:  morbidity, mortality and its ability to spread the virus.

    But it is good to hear that you are fully protecting yourself and others.  Thank You!
    Had others followed your lead, Colin Powell and many thousands of others might still be alive.

  • Reply 19 of 22
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    n2macs said:
    iOS_Guy80 said:
    Have visited the Apple store twice in the last month will continue to wear a mask regardless  of the mandate easement.
    Who cares?
    "Who cares"?
    Me!  I care!  I appreciate others who do the things necessary to avoid infecting me and others around them.  And, I avoid places that do not encourage or enforce those precautions.

    COVID is a nasty disease that can affect multiple parts of the body and, even if it doesn't kill you, it can leave you disabled.  I want to protect myself from it as much as possible -- and that includes avoiding those people and places who endanger me.
    Kiddo, Thank you for lecture. We know it. Probably spend far more time living on this planet. Keep your insecurities to yourself. Life will teach you that. Now imposing something on some people may get you hurt in life. So watch out and learn.
    Watch out for what?  What a silly threat.

    Appreciating another person's responsible actions is not "imposing" anything.

    Also, lol at calling GeorgeBMac, the forum's grandpa "kiddo".
    edited November 2021 GeorgeBMacmuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 20 of 22
    toddzrxtoddzrx Posts: 254member
    Hilarious to read that the majority of commenters on this thread are living in fear. Why is it my responsibility to make you feel better by wearing a mask or getting a vaccine? If you feel going to a store or out in public is threatening to your health, then that’s your problem; deal with it as you must. But I’m not responsible for keeping you healthy; that’s your own task to take care of. 
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