Customers fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be able to walk into Stop & Shop locations without donning a mask starting May 29, bringing the chain in line with federal guidance and Governor Charlie Baker’s announcement Monday that all pandemic restrictions will be lifted in Massachusetts on that date.
“Stop & Shop will continue to require that associates and customers wear masks in all locations where state and local mandates remain in place,” said a statement Wednesday from the Quincy-based company, which has over 400 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey.
“When mask mandates are lifted in Massachusetts on May 29, Stop & Shop will no longer require those who are fully vaccinated to wear masks in our stores, although we will continue to strongly encourage everyone to do so,” the statement said. “Masks will continue to be required in all our [pharmacies] for staff providing and customers receiving vaccinations.”
People are considered fully vaccinated against the virus if they’ve received two Pfizer or Moderna doses, spaced weeks apart, or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The statement added that Stop & Shop will continue its “enhanced cleaning protocols” and safety measures.
“Stop & Shop will continue to offer special shopping hours for customers 60+ and the immunocompromised,” the company said.
On Monday, Baker announced during a State House briefing that Massachusetts will lift all restrictions on businesses May 29, moving up the full reopening date by two months.
While the masking rules will be lifted across most businesses, some will remain in place, including in K-12 schools (except for outdoor recess), health care facilities, and other settings that host vulnerable populations. Face coverings will still be mandatory for all riders on public and private transportation systems.
The state is encouraging unvaccinated people to continue wearing masks and continue distancing in most settings.
“Massachusetts is on track to reach its goal of vaccinating 4.1 million residents by early June,” Baker said at Monday’s briefing. “We have made tremendous progress, and that’s why we are able to do what we’re doing here and what we’re proposing here today.”
The state as of Tuesday was reporting that over 3.2 million residents were fully vaccinated against the virus.
Another popular grocery chain, Trader Joe’s, said last week that customers who are fully vaccinated no longer need to mask up in company stores.
Trader Joe’s made the move one day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance on mask wearing and social distancing for fully vaccinated people. Several national chains, including Target and Wegmans, have said they will continue to require masks in their stores despite the new CDC guidance.
According to its website, Trader Joe’s has 19 stores in Massachusetts, including in Cambridge, Boston, Shrewsbury, and Hyannis.
Material from prior Globe stories was used in this report.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.
"Stop" - Google News
May 19, 2021 at 10:36PM
https://ift.tt/2QxNJam
Stop & Shop says fully vaccinated customers will be able to enter store without masks starting May 29 - The Boston Globe
"Stop" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2KQiYae
https://ift.tt/2WhNuz0
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Stop & Shop says fully vaccinated customers will be able to enter store without masks starting May 29 - The Boston Globe"
Post a Comment