Major Retailers Requiring Masks In Palo Alto: See The List

PALO ALTO, CA — In addition to the indoor mask mandate the Bay Area re-instated on Monday, many retailers in Palo Alto and other cities are re-implementing mask mandates to help curb the spread of coronavirus.

New mask requirements come as the highly contagious delta variant continues to sweep across the nation. The variant, which originated in India, now accounts for more than 93 percent of all new cases in the United States, according to data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many retailers attribute revised mandates to the CDC’s new mask guidance, which recommends all vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings or when in areas with "substantial" or "high" transmission; however, most stop short of requiring fully vaccinated customers to wear face coverings.

The CDC defines "substantial" transmission as 50 to 99.99 cases per 100,000 people over seven days, while "high" transmission is defined as more than 100 cases per 100,000 during that span.

Here’s a look at which retailers in Palo Alto now require masks and who should wear them, according to a list compiled by AARP and various news outlets:

Apple, 340 University Ave.
Who Has To Mask Up: Citing a company memo to employees, Bloomberg reported that Apple reinstituted a mask requirement for shoppers and staff at most of its U.S. retail outlets.

AT&T, 2805 El Camino Real
Who Has To Mask Up: Employees, customers and visitors are required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

CVS, 352 University Ave., 855 El Camino Real Floor 1, 2701 Middlefield Road
Who Has To Mask Up: Face coverings are required for employees and customers who are not fully vaccinated, and optional for those who are.

McDonald’s, 3128 El Camino Real, 208 Stanford Shopping Center
Who Has To Mask Up: McDonald’s has mandated that all customers and employees wear masks at locations in areas with high or substantial rates of COVID-19 transmission.

Nordstrom, 550 Stanford Shopping Center
Who Has To Mask Up: The retailer requires face masks where mandated and for those who aren't vaccinated.

Starbucks, 376 University Ave., 2000 El Camino Real, 361 California Ave., 2190 W Bayshore Road, 79 Stanford Mall, 3885 El Camino Real
Who Has To Mask Up: Starbucks “strongly recommends” customers wear facial coverings regardless of vaccination status. Masks are required where mandated by local law or regulation. Starting Aug. 5, all store partners must wear face coverings.

Verizon, 219 University Ave., 2999 El Camino Real
Who Has To Mask Up: The company says masks "may be required" at Verizon locations and that its outlets follow "CDC guidelines and legal requirements."

Walgreens, 2605 Middlefield Road
Who Has To Mask Up: Employees regardless of vaccination status are required to mask up. Customers and employees who are not vaccinated are asked to continue wearing masks.

Whole Foods, 774 Emerson St.
Who Has To Mask Up: Masks are required for unvaccinated customers and employees. Masks are optional for vaccinated customers and employees.