Walmart ends mask mandate for vaccinated employees

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Walmart announced Friday it has ended its mask mandate for fully vaccinated employees.

The company is also ending its daily health screenings and paid COVID-19 leave, according to FOX 24 of Rogers, Arkansas.

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The change in policy comes as several states lift indoor mask mandates.

Fully vaccinated employees will not be required to wear masks at any Walmart or Sam’s Club facility effective immediately unless required by a state or local mandate or ordinance, according to a company news release.

A Walmart worker and a shopper are seen wearing masks at a store in North Brunswick, New Jersey.  (Reuters / Reuters Photos)

Walmart considers "fully vaccinated" to be the full two-dose regimen of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

WALL STREET BEGINS TO DROP MASK MANDATES

If the employees are unvaccinated, they must continue to wear masks.

Those who work in clinical care settings or direct patient contact must wear masks whether they are vaccinated or not.

A worker and shoppers are seen wearing masks at a Walmart store, in North Brunswick, New Jersey.  (Reuters / Reuters Photos)

Daily health screens will come to an end Feb. 28, except for employees in California, New York and Virginia.

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Walmart's COVID-19 Emergency Leave Policy which provides paid leave for COVID-19 related absences will end March 31, except where required by state or local mandates.

The company statement said any COVID-19 leave in process on that date will continue under the terms of the current policy, 

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Walmart's decision comes the day after Amazon.com Inc. said fully vaccinated operations staff at its U.S. warehouses could work without a mask as local regulations allow, according to Reuters.

Walmart says it will continue to monitor the situation and advise of any changes.

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