Major Retailers Requiring Masks In San Mateo: See The List

SAN MATEO, CA — In addition to the indoor mask mandate the Bay Area re-instated on Monday, many retailers in San Mateo 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 San Mateo now require masks and who should wear them, according to a list compiled by AARP and various news outlets:

AT&T, 400 S El Camino Real
Who Has To Mask Up: Employees, customers and visitors are required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

CVS, 872 N Delaware St., 77 Bovet 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.

Home Depot, 2001 Chess Dr.
Who Has To Mask Up: The retailer issued a mask requirement for "all associates, contractors and vendors" at its U.S. stores. All customers will be asked to wear masks.

McDonald’s, 1420 El Camino Real
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.

Starbucks, 54 E 4th Ave., 842 N Delaware St., 1655 El Camino Real, 1701 S 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.

T.J. Maxx, 1850 S Grant St.
Who Has To Mask Up: The parent company of T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, Sierra and HomeGoods requires all employees and unvaccinated customers to wear face coverings, which remain optional for fully vaccinated customers.

Verizon, 2290 Bridgepointe Pkwy
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, 191 E 3rd Ave.
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.