More retailers require face coverings

CVS Health announced Thursday that it would join other major retailers, including Walmart, by requiring face coverings at its 10,000 U.S. locations. The announcement was made one day after Walmart made a similar announcement for all Walmart and Sam’s Club locations.

CVS said its policy takes effect Monday at all U.S. locations.

“To be clear, we’re not asking our store employees to play the role of enforcer,” CVS Chief Operating Officer Jon Roberts said in a news release. “What we are asking is that customers help protect themselves and those around them by listening to the experts and heeding the call to wear a face covering.”

Walmart’s Chief Operating Officer, Dacona Smith and Lance de la Rosa, Chief Operating Officer for Sam’s Club announced last Wednesday their companies’ focus on health and safety for employees, members and customers and that the new requirement would take effect Monday.

“As the number of confirmed cases has spiked in communities across the country recently, so too have the number and types of face covering mandates being implemented.”

“Currently about 65 percent of our more than 5,000 stores and clubs are located in areas where there is some form of government mandate on face coverings. To help bring consistency across stores and clubs, we will require all shoppers to wear a face covering starting Monday, July 20. This will give us time to inform customers and members of the changes, post signage and train associates on the new protocols”, the announcement read.

Walmart has created the role of “Health Ambassador” and will station them near the entrance to remind those without a mask of the new requirement.

“The ambassadors, identifiable by their black polo shirts, will work with customers who show up at a store without a face covering to try and find a solution.”

“We are currently considering different solutions for customers when this requirement takes effect on July 20.”

Walmart said that to help ensure consistency with its new process, all Walmart and Sam’s Club stores will have a single entrance.