Walmart Inc. Drops Mask Requirement for Fully Vaccinated Employees

Fully vaccinated Walmart and Sam's Club employees no longer are required to wear a face mask on the job unless masking is mandated at the state or local level, The Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 11.

The change is effective immediately and applies to those who have received two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In areas "where there are state or local mask mandates, associates will be required to wear masks inside our facilities, including stores, clubs, distribution centers, fulfillment centers and our campus offices," Walmart Inc. stated in an update to a COVID-19 FAQ page on its website. 

Those who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated still are required to wear a mask, and in-store signage will continue to strongly encourage customers to wear a mask or other face covering, the Bentonville, Ark.-based company stated. 

Walmart Inc. continues to distribute free N95 masks for customers, with a limit of three masks per person, at more than 5,100 Walmart and Sam's Club locations nationwide.