Amazon allows vaccinated workers without masks from next week
On Wednesday, Amazon said that it would soon reconsider face mask requirements for vaccinated workers inside warehouses, except places where it is required by law.
Starting from Monday, in the U.S., vaccinated employees will no longer go to work wearing masks. Unless it is mandated by local regulations or state, This news is according to a notice which Amazon sent to workers.
Amazon confirmed that it’s updating its policies related to masks for fully vaccinated workers.
The company said in the notice to workers that it reconsiders its mask policy and allows them to go without masks. It has to be more than 14 days passed after their final dose to be considered fully vaccinated. The company added that workers must have a copy of their vaccine cards as proof.
Amazon said in the notice that it thanks everyone who has prioritized their Covid-19 safety measures. It added that the last 14 months had not been easy, but leaders and customers appreciated workers` dedication across the country.
Details on Easing the requirements
Amazon will require its workers to enter their vaccine information into a portal called an internal employee portal – A to Z. It will be for verification that employees are vaccinated. Fully vaccinated employees will receive a green checkmark that will show up on the screen, and then they will show it as proof when they enter their site at the beginning of their shift.
Amazon said that it would provide its employees with a green checkmark sticker by early June. Then they can add it to their badge, signifying that they are vaccinated. It will allow them to enter the warehouses without a mask or verify their vaccination status. The company said that it would ask workers to upload their vaccine card`s picture to the internal portal by mid-June.
Amazon said that the rest of the Covid-19 safety protocols would remain the same., The company began to take certain safety precautions inside warehouses last March. Those requirements include instructing employees to wash their hands permanently, practice social distancing and use hand sanitizers.
After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announcement, some restaurants and retailers began to reconsider some restrictions. It said that that fully vaccinated people don’t need to cover their faces inside those places. Amazon will soon join this growing list of easing regulations.
Here is a list of companies that have already updated their mask requirements: Walmart, Costco, Chipotle, Starbucks, and Target.
