Apple spokesman Nick Leahy said in a statement on Tuesday: “As cases increase in many communities, we’re asking all customers to join team members.” Our customers wear masks when visiting our stores.
The iPhone maker has gradually relaxed mask requirements in some cities and regions over time, based on local regulations. Leahy said that masks were mandatory at about half of the stores before this week’s policy change.
Apple has changed its store policy several times over the past two years in response to developments in the spread of Covid-19, such as closures, open again and close shop on many occasions. The company has served as something of a bellwether for the broader retail industry’s response to the pandemic. Other US businesses include Walmart (WMT), Starbucks (SBUX) and McDonald’s (MCD) also restore their mask duty earlier this year in response to the spread of the Delta variant.
Some US states such as California and New York have also Temporarily restored mask quest indoors, with New York providing an exemption for businesses that require proof of vaccinations.
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