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Updated July 31st, 2021 at 13:15 IST

Walmart, Disney revise COVID-19 rules amid surge due to delta variant; FB & Twitter follow

Walmart informed that it has mandated American employees to wear masks, while Disney mandated non-union US employees to get vaccinated. Read more.

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
Walmart
IMAGE: AP/Unsplash | Image:self
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Walmart and Disney have announced fresh new protocols for their employees on Friday, July 30. Walmart informed that it has mandated American employees to wear masks, while Disney mandated non-union US employees to get vaccinated. The announcements come at the heels of surging COVID-19 Delta variant infections.

“We’re hoping that will influence even more of our frontline associates to become vaccinated,” Walmart spokesman Scott Pope said.

Walmart, earlier, scrapped rules to wear a mask in the store. However, in its statement on Friday, it reiterated that all employees wear facemasks at stores in areas of the US with high COVID-19 transmission rates. The world's largest retailer also mentioned that it would put up signs outside stores to "strongly encourage" customers to wear facemasks in the store premises. The retailer based in Bentonville, Arkansas, has also mentioned revision of its mask policy for its employees working clubs, distribution facilities, and warehouses as well, the Associated Press reported. The employees would need to wear facemasks even if they are vaccinated.

“Vaccines are the best tool we all have to help control this global pandemic and protect our employees,” Disney said in a statement.

Disney also announced mandatory facemasks in its theme parks. Stating vaccinations to be the "best protection" against severe infection, Disney has mandated all salaried and non-union hourly employees at any site in the US to get their pending shots. All new Disney hires will be required to be fully vaccinated before starting employment, it said in its statement.

The steps come in after the CDC declaration

The steps come in within three days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has changed course on masking mandates. The state health advisory has recommended that even vaccinated people are required to wear masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the delta variant of the coronavirus is fueling infection rates.

Twitter, Facebook,Google call for mandatory vaccination before returning to the office

Walmart has followed Google’s steps to require its employees to get complete vaccinations. Google had announced the step earlier in the week that it’s postponing a return to the office for most workers until mid-October and rolling out a policy that will eventually require everyone to be vaccinated once its sprawling campuses are fully reopened, the AP reported. Google’s announcement was also shortly followed by Facebook. Facebook said it will make vaccines mandatory for U.S. employees who work in offices, even though, exceptions will be made for medical and other reasons. Twitter has also welcomed the steps to get its staff vaccinated before resuming office in San Francisco.

(Input: AP)

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Published July 31st, 2021 at 13:18 IST

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