Apple considers dropping face mask mandate for Apple Store staff

Posted:
in General Discussion
Having now lifted its requirement for customers to wear face coverings, Apple is reportedly considering allowing staff to do the same.




Apple lifted its mask mandate for a number of in-store shopping locations in states such as Ohio, Georgia, and more. While it has yet to lift the restriction across all of its stores, reporter Mark Gurman claims it is considering letting Apple Store staff take off masks too.

Hearing Apple is considering dropping the mandate for retail employees too in as early as two weeks. https://t.co/YdwMFazuOp

-- Mark Gurman (@markgurman)


It's not clear whether such a move would only apply to the same stores where customers are no longer required to wear face coverings.

Apple had previously relaxed its mask mandate in November 2021, but changing coronavirus conditions meant the requirement was re-introduced in December 2021.

Also not clear is if this move heralds in-person Apple events, like the summer WWDC. The expected spring release event will likely still be remote.

Read on AppleInsider
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 53
    I haven't had as much as a cold since January of 2020. I will be masking in stores for the rest of my life.
    ciafruitstandninjadarkvaderteejay2012baconstangjcs2305
  • Reply 2 of 53
    Horrible news! Where will triple (or quadruple?) vaxed maskaholics shop for their Apple products in guaranteed safety?
    cat52muthuk_vanalingamtoddzrxLeoMC
  • Reply 3 of 53
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Appleish said:
    I haven't had as much as a cold since January of 2020. I will be masking in stores for the rest of my life.
    Which is perfectly okay and your personal prerogative. Just don’t try to force me to do the same.
    Japheycat52byronlmuthuk_vanalingamgrandact73toddzrx
  • Reply 4 of 53
    darkvaderdarkvader Posts: 1,146member
    lkrupp said:
    Appleish said:
    I haven't had as much as a cold since January of 2020. I will be masking in stores for the rest of my life.
    Which is perfectly okay and your personal prerogative. Just don’t try to force me to do the same.

    Then don't go out in public, plague rat.
    baconstang
  • Reply 5 of 53
    Without masks, there will be no store policy to physically distance. 'If' I go into a store, I will wear a mask and treat those without masks like I do people with bad breath by politely backing away from them. No doubt some will be offended but my health is more important than their feelings.
    djames4242lkruppmikethemartianbaconstang
  • Reply 6 of 53
    Horrible news! Where will triple (or quadruple?) vaxed maskaholics shop for their Apple products in guaranteed safety?
    Hope the pandemic phase ends soon. I’m dying to know what perceived violation of freedom selfish maskholes invent next.
    mikethemartianbaconstangJaphey
  • Reply 7 of 53
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Without masks, there will be no store policy to physically distance. 'If' I go into a store, I will wear a mask and treat those without masks like I do people with bad breath by politely backing away from them. No doubt some will be offended but my health is more important than their feelings.
    Again, fine. But don’t try to enforce your paranoia and hypochondria on the rest of us. We won’t be offended, really we won’t . We’ll just being laughing hysterically at you and your psychosis.
    Japheycat52muthuk_vanalingamtoddzrx
  • Reply 8 of 53
    I'm sure everyone will be fine...for at least a month or two.  
    Or until the next nasty variant comes along.  Hopefully never!
    PS...Should be some great deals on N95s, like last July!
  • Reply 9 of 53
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    In other news, Iceland (super-highly vaccinated) drops all restrictions.
    Ministry of health says, "Widespread societal resistance to COVID-19 is the main route out of the epidemic. To achieve this, as many people as possible need to be infected with the virus as the vaccines are not enough, even though they provide good protection against serious illness."
    https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/iceland-lift-all-covid-19-restrictions-friday-media-reports-2022-02-23/

    Many of we conspiracy theorists have been booted from social media, temporarily or permanently, for saying such things.
    edited February 2022 Japheymuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 10 of 53
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    cgWerks said:
    In other news, Iceland (super-highly vaccinated) drops all restrictions.
    Ministry of health says, "Widespread societal resistance to COVID-19 is the main route out of the epidemic. To achieve this, as many people as possible need to be infected with the virus as the vaccines are not enough, even though they provide good protection against serious illness."
    https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/iceland-lift-all-covid-19-restrictions-friday-media-reports-2022-02-23/

    Many of we conspiracy theorists have been booted from social media, temporarily or permanently, for saying such things.
    That's fine, as long as vaccine rates are high enough and hospitals are well-equipped and prepared to deal with the consequences.  If they're not, then such a policy is a potential disaster.
    baconstangdjames4242
  • Reply 11 of 53
    I despise masks.

    They make me feel like I’m about to pass out.

    I strongly suspect that for me and many others, it will be far less harmful to get Covid-19 than to wear a mask.

    As a result I welcome the relaxation, or, better yet, the elimination of all mask mandates.
    muthuk_vanalingamcgWerksthrang
  • Reply 12 of 53
    I despise masks.

    They make me feel like I’m about to pass out.

    I strongly suspect that for me and many others, it will be far less harmful to get Covid-19 than to wear a mask.

    As a result I welcome the relaxation, or, better yet, the elimination of all mask mandates.
    Okay, but since the larger reason for wearing masks is to prevent you from potentially spreading the virus, your desire to not feel uncomfortable ultimately puts other people at risk.

    Look, I don’t particularly enjoy wearing a mask either and yet I also don’t think twice about wearing one for hours at a time because I know I’m doing my part to keep those around me safe. It’s simply the decent thing to do.
  • Reply 13 of 53
    Appleish said:
    I haven't had as much as a cold since January of 2020. I will be masking in stores for the rest of my life.
    Keep living your life in fear bro.

    darkvader said:
    lkrupp said:
    Appleish said:
    I haven't had as much as a cold since January of 2020. I will be masking in stores for the rest of my life.
    Which is perfectly okay and your personal prerogative. Just don’t try to force me to do the same.

    Then don't go out in public, plague rat.
    Why should someone who chooses to go out in public have to accommodate YOUR health and well being? That’s your own responsibility, not mine. Not to mention the fact that masks do nothing. 

  • Reply 14 of 53
    Without masks, there will be no store policy to physically distance. 'If' I go into a store, I will wear a mask and treat those without masks like I do people with bad breath by politely backing away from them. No doubt some will be offended but my health is more important than their feelings.
    Please continue doing that, and giving those of us who choose not to wear a mask just one more reason to laugh on the inside. I assure you, you’re not offending anyone, condescension notwithstanding. 
  • Reply 15 of 53
    I despise masks.

    They make me feel like I’m about to pass out.

    I strongly suspect that for me and many others, it will be far less harmful to get Covid-19 than to wear a mask.

    As a result I welcome the relaxation, or, better yet, the elimination of all mask mandates.
    Okay, but since the larger reason for wearing masks is to prevent you from potentially spreading the virus, your desire to not feel uncomfortable ultimately puts other people at risk.

    Look, I don’t particularly enjoy wearing a mask either and yet I also don’t think twice about wearing one for hours at a time because I know I’m doing my part to keep those around me safe. It’s simply the decent thing to do.
    You’re doing absolutely nothing to keep anyone safe by wearing a mask; it’s been shown they are useless. In fact, they are arguably giving individuals with weakened immune systems a false sense of security. 
  • Reply 16 of 53
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    crowley said:
    That's fine, as long as vaccine rates are high enough and hospitals are well-equipped and prepared to deal with the consequences.  If they're not, then such a policy is a potential disaster.
    Outside a rather short time-frame, they might be hurting more than helping. I think the idea is to let some natural, real immunity be built up (by exposure to the whole virus, rather than just the protein.

    djames4242 said:
    Okay, but since the larger reason for wearing masks is to prevent you from potentially spreading the virus, your desire to not feel uncomfortable ultimately puts other people at risk.

    Look, I don’t particularly enjoy wearing a mask either and yet I also don’t think twice about wearing one for hours at a time because I know I’m doing my part to keep those around me safe. It’s simply the decent thing to do.
    It might help a bit with droplet-based transmission (say you cough), but the problem is Covid-19 is also spread via aerosol. Cloth and surgical masks don't do much against aerosol spread. If you're in a space with lower airflow for very long, it really doesn't matter of you're wearing a mask or not.
  • Reply 17 of 53
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    toddzrx said:
    You’re doing absolutely nothing to keep anyone safe by wearing a mask; it’s been shown they are useless. In fact, they are arguably giving individuals with weakened immune systems a false sense of security. 
    I wouldn't say absolutely nothing, but that they aren't doing enough. Which highlights your second point. They give a false sense of security.

    That's the problem with much of the pandemic response. Not enough to stop things, but enough to do a lot of damage beyond the virus. My favorites are the rules around where and when the virus must hang-out. For example, you can't go into a nicer sit-down restaurant w/o being all cautious, vaxxed, etc. But, you can go to a fast-food chain and hangout with few rules. The virus must be upper-class.
    (Note: I know the answer in case anyone is curious. You'll just be disappointed with it.)
    edited February 2022
  • Reply 18 of 53
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,007member
    Absolutely - end mandates. Full stop.




    cgWerks
  • Reply 19 of 53
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    Bad move for the staff.  They face infection everyday.  They need protection.

    Would you tell a nurse to not bother masking in the face of a patient spewing disease?
  • Reply 20 of 53
    LeoMCLeoMC Posts: 102member
    Without masks, there will be no store policy to physically distance. 'If' I go into a store, I will wear a mask and treat those without masks like I do people with bad breath by politely backing away from them. No doubt some will be offended but my health is more important than their feelings.
    Maybe you should consider a Hazmat suit...
    cgWerkschristophb
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