Starting Monday, all of Walmart’s employees will be required to wear face masks while at work, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to plague the United States.
Walmart and Sam’s Club made the announcement in a statement Friday.
“We will begin requiring that associates wear masks or other face coverings at work. This includes our stores, clubs, distribution and fulfillment centers, as well as in our corporate offices,” the statement said. Employees may either wear store provided masks or bring their own from home.
The Bentonville-based retail giant is also encouraging all of its customers to wear some form of a face covering while shopping, though that is not yet a requirement.
“We hope this step will promote safety and consistency across all of our facilities and be of comfort to our customers and members. However, it’s important to remember that face coverings are simply an additional health precaution. They do not guarantee against the spread of this virus,” the statement said.
As of Saturday morning, the United States has more than 700,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and more than 37,000 people nationwide have died due to the virus.
