Trader Joe's announced Friday that customers will not be required to wear face coverings while shopping in stores, following new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released this week.
"We encourage customers to follow the guidance of health officials, including, as appropriate, CDC guidelines that advise customers who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks while shopping," a message on Trader Joe's website read.
The company did not detail whether or not shoppers would be asked to prove COVID vaccinations before entering storefronts.
At Costco, face coverings will still be required across Illinois until Gov. J.B. Pritzker changes the state's mask mandate. However, according to Costco's website, masks do not need to be worn if a shopper is fully vaccinated in stores if the local jurisdiction does not have a mandate in place.
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Costco noted customers do not need to provide proof of vaccination, but asked for members' "responsible and respectful cooperation with this revised policy." Face coverings are still required in Pharmacy, Optical and Hearing Aid areas.
"Costco continues to recommend that all members and guests, especially those who are at higher risk, wear a mask or shield," the website read.
The CDC revised its guidelines on Thursday, saying that vaccinated individuals should not be required to wear masks in indoor and outdoor settings, with some exceptions. Pritzker said he plans to revise executive orders to sync up with new CDC guidelines.
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“I firmly believe in following the science, and will revise my executive orders in line with CDC guidelines lifting additional mitigations for vaccinated people,” Pritzker said. “The scientists’ message is clear: if you are vaccinated, you can safely do much more.”
According to the CDC, "fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing," but there are some exceptions.
Those exceptions include places where masks are required by "federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance."
Fully vaccinated people should also continue to wear a well-fitted mask in:
- correctional facilities and homeless shelters
- If you travel, you will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations
Chicago's health department echoed those claims.
"We also agree with the CDC that masks should be worn during travel, including use of public transit, and that the unvaccinated should continue to wear masks in most settings," the department's statement read.
If you are not fully vaccinated, you will need to wear a mask in most instances. Those who are not vaccinated can go outside without masks in some cases, however.
Here's a look at what the CDC says is safe for unvaccinated people to do without a mask:
- Walk, run, or bike outdoors with members of your household
- Attend a small, outdoor gathering with fully vaccinated family and friends
