Major Retailers Requiring Masks In Los Gatos: See The List

LOS GATOS, CA — In addition to the indoor mask mandate the Bay Area re-instated on Monday, many retailers in Los Gatos and other cities are re-implementing mask mandates to help curb the spread of coronavirus.

New mask requirements come as the highly contagious delta variant continues to sweep across the nation. The variant, which originated in India, now accounts for more than 93 percent of all new cases in the United States, according to data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many retailers attribute revised mandates to the CDC’s new mask guidance, which recommends all vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings or when in areas with "substantial" or "high" transmission; however, most stop short of requiring fully vaccinated customers to wear face coverings.

The CDC defines "substantial" transmission as 50 to 99.99 cases per 100,000 people over seven days, while "high" transmission is defined as more than 100 cases per 100,000 during that span.

Here’s a look at which retailers in Los Gatos now require masks and who should wear them, according to a list compiled by AARP and various news outlets:

Apple, 23 N Santa Cruz Ave
Who Has To Mask Up: Citing a company memo to employees, Bloomberg reported that Apple reinstituted a mask requirement for shoppers and staff at most of its U.S. retail outlets.

AT&T, 630 Blossom Hill Road
Who Has To Mask Up: Employees, customers and visitors are required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

CVS, 750 Blossom Hill Road
Who Has To Mask Up: Face coverings are required for employees and customers who are not fully vaccinated, and optional for those who are.

McDonald’s, 15475 Los Gatos Blvd.
Who Has To Mask Up: McDonald’s has mandated that all customers and employees wear masks at locations in areas with high or substantial rates of COVID-19 transmission.

Starbucks, 470 N Santa Cruz Ave., 442 N Santa Cruz Ave.
Who Has To Mask Up: Starbucks “strongly recommends” customers wear facial coverings regardless of vaccination status. Masks are required where mandated by local law or regulation. Starting Aug. 5, all store partners must wear face coverings.

Verizon, 52 N Santa Cruz Ave., 15200 Los Gatos Blvd. Ste 500
Who Has To Mask Up: The company says masks "may be required" at Verizon locations and that its outlets follow "CDC guidelines and legal requirements.”

Walgreens, 423 N Santa Cruz Ave.
Who Has To Mask Up: Employees regardless of vaccination status are required to mask up. Customers and employees who are not vaccinated are asked to continue wearing masks.

Whole Foods, 15980 Los Gatos Blvd.
Who Has To Mask Up: Masks are required for unvaccinated customers and employees. Masks are optional for vaccinated customers and employees.