Amazon requiring face masks in warehouses regardless of vaccination

Amazon will be requiring that employees wear masks inside of its warehouses regardless of whether they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

“In response to the concerning spread of new COVID-19 variants in the U.S. and guidance from public health authorities and our own medical experts, we are requiring face coverings indoors regardless of vaccination status,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told The Hill in a statement on Friday.

Nantel added that the company is “monitoring the situation closely and will continue to follow local government guidance and work closely with leading medical healthcare professionals, gathering their advice and recommendations as we go forward to ensure our buildings are optimized for the safety of our teams.”

The change was first reported by Bloomberg News, citing a notice to employees sent Friday.

The news outlet reported that the mandate, which takes effect Monday, applies to workers in warehouses and other logistics depots in the U.S., and not corporate offices.

Amazon never required workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, but said in May that fully vaccinated staffers could remove their masks.

The move comes a day after Amazon announced that it was pushing back its return-to-office date for corporate employees from Sept. 7 to the beginning of 2022.