JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Starting Tuesday, Publix will require customers to wear face coverings while shopping in its grocery stores. according to a news release on its website.
“With the number of coronavirus cases continuing to grow and current CDC guidance indicating face coverings can help slow the spread of COVID-19, we believe requiring face coverings in our stores is another way we can do our part to help protect our communities,” Maria Brous, Publix’s communications director, said in a statement.
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Signs placed at store entrances will inform customers of the new requirement, and in store-announcements will be made. The requirement will not apply to young children or people with medical conditions who are not able to wear face coverings, according to the news release.
Target and CVS Health on Thursday joined the growing list of major retailers that will require customers to wear masks as cases of COVID-19 spike. Target’s policy will go into effect Aug. 1, while CVS’s rule will start Monday.
Publix said the rule will kick in on Tuesday at all 1,200 stores. More than 80% of Target’s 1,800 stores already require customers to wear masks due to local and state regulations.
Target said Thursday that it will hand out masks at entrances to those who need them. The nation’s largest retailer, Walmart, announced this week that masks would be mandatory in all stores starting Monday.
Starbucks, Best Buy, Kohl’s and Kroger Co. also have announced mandatory face covering rules.
The Associated Press contributed to this report