After a year of masking up, Trader Joe’s customers can shop mask-free — if they are full vaccinated. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
If you’re fully vaccinated, Trader Joe’s welcomes you to shop without a mask.
The Southern California-based specialty grocery store became one of the first retailers in the nation to drop the mask requirement after the Centers for Disease Control issued new COVID-19 guidance Thursday.
“In accordance with CDC guidelines, customers who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear masks while shopping in our stores,” Trader Joe’s PR Director Kenya Friend-Daniel said Friday. “We do not require proof of vaccination, as we trust our customers to follow CDC guidelines.”
However, Friend-Daniel said, “At this time, masks are still required for our Crew Members.”
The decision from the Monrovia-headquartered chain came as California residents are waiting to find out whether state and county officials will officially adopt the new CDC guidelines.
