These major retailers will require you to wear face masks starting Monday
Heading to the store this week? Don’t forget your face mask.
Starting Monday, July 20, a handful of major retailers now require customers to wear face masks to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, with other mask rules on the way.
Walmart, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, CVS and Kohl’s will now require shoppers to wear masks, with Target, Aldi and Kroger following suit later in the month.
The U.S. has 3,712,604 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 140,120 deaths, as of July 19, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, with scores of new coronavirus cases being added daily.
On July 16, alone, the U.S. added a record 77,255 cases, per JHU data, with the country breaking its single-day record for new cases nine times in July so far, CNN reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have urged Americans to don cloth face masks, calling the practice “critical” in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are not defenseless against COVID-19,” director Dr. Robert R. Redfield said. “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting.”
Here’s what to know about each retailer’s new mask policy.
Walmart and Sam’s Club
Customers are now required to wear masks at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores starting Monday, the company said in a news release.
At Walmart locations, signage will be posted at the front of stores and a “health ambassador” will stand near the entrance to remind customers without masks of the new policy.
Health ambassadors will work with customers who don’t have masks to “find a solution,” the company said, adding that it’s still considering what these solutions might entail.
At Sam’s Club, workers will stand near the entrance to remind customers of the policy and offer masks to those to those who try to enter without one. Masks will also be available for purchase in the store.
CVS
The retailer now requires customers wear masks starting Monday, according to a news release.
CVS said it will not ask workers to be the policy’s enforcers, but rather appealed to customers to protect themselves and others by “listening to the experts and heeding the call to wear a face covering.”
Walgreens
Walgreens will now require face masks for customers starting Monday, the company said in a news release.
Walgreens said it will post signage on the doors into its stores and make frequent reminders of the new policy over the intercom system.
Kohl’s
Customers at all Kohl’s stores are now required to wear face masks starting Monday, per a company news release.
Kohl’s said it will post signs at the front of the store outlining the new policy and station greeters near entrances to remind customers that masks are required.
People with medical issues that preclude them from wearing a mask are exempt, the company said.
Kroger
Kroger will require customers to wear masks on Wednesday, the company said.
Young children and people with medical conditions are exempt from the mask policy and encouraged to try a face covering or shield, according to Kroger.
Kroger is asking those who can’t wear a mask or alternative design to opt for the company’s pickup or delivery services, the company said. Kroger’s grocery pickup service is free during the pandemic.
Aldi
Aldi will require customers to wear face coverings when entering stores beginning July 27, according to the company.
Customers who can’t or won’t wear face coverings are encouraged to use Aldi’s grocery delivery or curbside pickup services.
Target
Target will require customers to wear masks starting August 1, the company told USA Today. The retailer will provide disposable masks to customers who don’t have them.
Young children and people with underlying medical conditions are exempt from the policy, according to the outlet.
This story was originally published July 19, 2020 at 7:45 AM with the headline "These major retailers will require you to wear face masks starting Monday."