Apple is once again reinstating a mask mandate on all of its stores in the U.S., given the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. The company announced Tuesday that the mandate would apply to both employees and all customers visiting any of its Apple stores.
Prior to the announcement, Apple only required employees and customers to weak masks in states that required them. Starting Wednesday, stores in states that do not have mask mandates will make masks mandatory.
Apple said in a statement that it is continually monitoring conditions and it will be adjusting its health protocols to ensure the safety of its employees and its customers. The company added that given the rising cases in some states, it has now decided to require all customers and employees to wear masks at all times inside its stores.
Concerns about the omicron variant of the coronavirus, which is known to be extremely infectious and capable of circumventing some of the protection afforded by current vaccinations, prompted Apple's policy change.
In response to fluctuating COVID-19 cases in the U.S., Apple has changed its in-store mask regulations several. As case numbers decreased in November, the iPhone maker relaxed mask restrictions in approximately half of its U.S. outlets.
Last year, Apple closed down all of its shops as cases surged throughout the country. Staff wore masks and designated sanitation areas for consumers when stores reopened earlier this year. In response to regional conditions, Apple has altered individual store health protocols, such as emphasizing customer pickups via online purchases rather than in-store purchasing and increasing the amount of area allocated to social distancing.
The company has functioned as a barometer for the retail industry's overall response to the COVID-19. In response to the spread of the delta variant, several U.S. companies such as Walmart, Starbucks, and McDonald's reintroduced their mask mandates early this year.
Like other companies, Apple has experienced some setbacks due to the pandemic. Last week, Apple had to shut down an outlet in Texas after numerous staff tested positive for COVID-19. The state of California, where Apple is headquartered, has recently imposed a month-long indoor mask ban, which goes into effect on Wednesday.
In response to the possible spread of the omicron variant, some states are rethinking their mask rules. Indoor mask laws have just been reintroduced in California and New York.
