Apple is waiving mask requirements for corporate employees in most locations

Mask mandates have not completely disappeared from the world, but their presence is certainly waning. Even though the coronavirus pandemic continues. So it’s not surprising to hear that Apple is moving forward and ditching the mask mandate it has. At least for “most”of his corporate offices.

This is revealed in a recent report from The Verge, which says that going forward, most Apple corporate employees will no longer be required to wear a mask when visiting a physical site. The report is based on an internal memo obtained by the outlet showing that Apple’s COVID-19 response team has informed corporate employees that “in light of the current circumstances”the mask requirement will be lifted in most locations.

Here is an internal email sent by the Response Team:

Team,

We are writing to share an update to our current protocols. In light of the current circumstances, wearing a mask is no longer required in most places. As always, please check the Welcome Forward regularly for specific requirements for your site, including those from your local health authority or any site you may visit.

We understand that everyone’s personal circumstances are different. Feel free to continue wearing your face mask if you feel more comfortable that way. Also, please respect each person’s decision to wear a mask or not.

Thank you for everything you do to support Apple’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

COVID-19 Response Team

As noted in the email, the Response Team does say that if some employees still feel comfortable wearing a mask, then they should not stop just because the general mandate is being lifted.

As noted above, the global pandemic is still ongoing. Currently, the highly transmitted variant of BA.5 is causing spikes in known cases across the United States. The impact of this new option is being felt in some parts of the country more than others, and some businesses, such as the San Francisco Bay Area Transit System, BART, have reinstated their mandatory mask-wearing policy.

It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for Apple and mask mandates over the last year or so. For example, back in March of this year, the company abolished the mandatory wearing of masks not only for retail employees, but also for corporate staff. In this case, some rules were defined for corporate employees, for example, it is still necessary to wear masks in public places, but not in workplaces. But then in May, the mask mandate returned to about 100 retail stores in the United States.

It looks like we’re watching Apple move away from the mask mandate right now, but that could change as the reality of the situation continues to evolve.