The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) issued a statement calling on state and local governments to coordinate to reduce conflicting guidelines around mask mandates. The statement came after the CDC last week said fully vaccinated people no longer had to wear masks in most settings.
Senior Executive Vice President, Retail Operations and Innovation, Lisa LaBruno said, “Today’s CDC announcement on masks creates ambiguity for retailers because it fails to fully align with state and local orders. Retailers are reviewing the latest CDC guidance to determine if any changes should be made to their current safety protocols. While these reviews are ongoing, it is critical for customers to remember the CDC announcement is guidance and that many state and local jurisdictions still have mask mandates in place that retailers must follow. These conflicting positions put retailers and their employees in incredibly difficult situations. We urge state and local governments to coordinate with the CDC as additional guidance is issued on the road to normalcy.
“Retailers will continue to prioritize the safety of their team members first, as they’ve done throughout the pandemic. We urge all retail customers and guests to follow a store’s safety protocols including wearing a mask and social distancing. Frontline workers deserve this respect. Retailers encourage customers that do not want to wear a mask to shop online or via curbside pickup offerings.”
Photo courtesy RILA
