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LA County to retailers: Masks still a must
Health department contacted “all of the chains” after Pasadena Trader Joe’s announced company-wide policy that vaccinated shoppers could enter without face covering
Los Angeles County health officials aren’t ready to let retailers relax their indoor mask-wearing rules.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance Friday saying it was safe for fully vaccinated people to go maskless in many places, California said it will wait until June 15 to comply.
In keeping with its new company-wide policy, the South Pasadena Trader Joe’s said all vaccinated shoppers could enter without a mask. Costco, Starbucks, Walmart and Target announced similar measures. That led L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer’s office to hit the phones, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Ferrer said Monday that officials had contacted “all of the chains” that announced relaxed rules to continue to follow statewide protocols.
There is “one standard for the whole state,” Ferrer said, according to the report. “
Meanwhile, New York state plans to follow the CDC guidance starting on Wednesday, allowing fully vaccinated people to go without a face covering in most places. Private businesses will be allowed to make their own rules.
California has been slowly easing restrictions on various activities and businesses over the last several months as more people become vaccinated.
[LAT] — Dennis Lynch