Mask Policies At Stores In PA: Updated List

PENNSYLVANIA — The state may be avoiding a universal mask mandate for now, but facial coverings are becoming more and more a part of every day life in Pennsylvania this summer.

With the surge of the virus and the more contagious delta variant, even more businesses are taking steps to stop their establishments from being carriers.

And it's not just businesses: many school districts have moved to require masks for some or all of their student and teacher populations, and masking for the 2021-22 school year has become a heated issue as districts develop their own health and safety plans.

Elsewhere, counties are either recommending or even requiring masks indoors for both fully vaccinated individuals. Some of the state's most populous counties, like Montgomery, have issued guidance along those lines, pointing to the CDC's recommendation that all wear masks indoors when the area is in a "substantial" transmission category. In Philadelphia, businesses must either require masks or proof of vaccination.

In Pennsylvania, the positivity rate is now at 6 percent, according to the Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard. That's up from 5.4 percent last week. Moreover, the vast majority of the state's counties are now in the "substantial" transmission category, with many others in the more severe "high" level.

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.

Many retailers attribute revised mandates to the CDC’s latest mask guidance, which recommends all vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings or when in areas where the virus is strong.

Here’s an updated look at major retailers in Pennsylvania and their masking policies:

ALDI
Who Has To Mask Up: Face coverings are required for unvaccinated customers and employees, and optional for vaccinated customers.

Apple
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
Who Has To Mask Up: Employees, customers and visitors are required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

Bed Bath & Beyond
Who Has To Mask Up: A mask mandate remains in place for shoppers and employees but exempts fully vaccinated customers "in U.S. locations where permitted by local order or law."

Best Buy
Who Has To Mask Up: Unvaccinated staff and customers must wear a mask. Vaccinated customers are not required to mask up.

BJ’s Wholesale
Who Has To Mask Up: While masks are optional for fully vaccinated customers and employees, unvaccinated persons and all shoppers and staff in BJ’s optical departments are required to wear masks.

Costco
Face coverings are not required, though they say they will follow the recommendations of local jurisdictions for indoor masking.

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

Home Depot
Who Has To Mask Up: The retailer issued a mask requirement for "all associates, contractors and vendors" at its U.S. stores. All customers will be asked to wear masks.

Kohl’s
Who Has To Mask Up: Kohl's requires all employees in counties with a substantial or high risk of transmission to wear masks while in store. The company has also requested that customers in these areas wear masks.

Kroger
Who Has To Mask Up: Masks are “strongly encouraged” for fully vaccinated customers and employees. Masks are required for unvaccinated customers and employees working in in-store clinics and pharmacies.

Lowe’s
Who Has To Mask Up: Lowe’s employees are required to wear masks at all locations. Meanwhile, customers are encouraged to also wear masks.

Macy's
Who Has To Mask Up: Store employees must wear masks. Masks are recommended but not required for vaccinated customers.

McDonald’s
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
Who Has To Mask Up: Starbucks “strongly recommends” customers wear facial coverings regardless of vaccination status. Employees must wear face coverings.

Target
Who Has To Mask Up: Target recommends face coverings for unvaccinated employees and strongly recommends face coverings for all customers in areas with a substantial or high risk of transmission.

TJX Companies
Who Has To Mask Up: The parent company of T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, Sierra and HomeGoods requires all employees and unvaccinated customers to wear face coverings, which remain optional for fully vaccinated customers.

Walgreens
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.

Walmart
Who Has To Mask Up: All employees must wear face coverings regardless of vaccination status. Masks are encouraged for fully vaccinated customers and required for those unvaccinated.

Wawa
Who Has To Mask Up: All employees must wear masks. Wawa is also recommending customers wear masks when in its stores.

Wegmans
Who Has To Mask Up: All employees are now required to wear a mask. All customers, regardless of vaccination status, are encouraged to wear a mask as well.

Whole Foods
Who Has To Mask Up: Masks are required for unvaccinated customers and employees. Masks are optional for vaccinated customers and employees.

With reporting from Patch editor Kara Seymour