No More Medical Exemptions At Costco: All Shoppers, Employees Must Wear Face Coverings
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Costco Wholesale shoppers will be required to wear a face covering starting despite having a medical exemption, the company announced.
In a letter to members, Costco President and CEO Craig Jelinek said, "Effective Nov. 16, 2020, we will require all members, guests and employees to wear a face mask or face shield at Costco locations. Entry to Costco will only be granted to those wearing a face mask or face shield. Children under the age of 2 are exempt."
Since May 4, 2020, Costco has had a face mask policy in effect, but members who could not wear a mask due to a medical condition were exempt.
"This is no longer the case," Jelinek wrote. "If a member has a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask, they must wear a face shield at Costco."
"The updated policy may seem inconvenient to some, however, we believe the added safety is worth any inconvenience. Our goal is to continue to provide a safe shopping environment for our members and guests, and to provide a safe work environment for our employees," Jelinek wrote.
In April, Costco began limiting the number of people in its stores by allowing only two people per membership card to enter at one time.
Costco also experienced massive lines and shortages due to panic buying, forcing it to put limits on the number of essential items customers can purchase, such as toilet paper, sanitizing wipes and paper towels.