WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's major grocery chain, Publix, has started to follow the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which indicates fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear facial coverings. However, the mask requirement is still in place for Publix shoppers and workers who aren't fully vaccinated.
For Ricardo Henry, who is fully vaccinated, he's still not taking any chances.
"Once I see the numbers are in control, maybe starting in August, September, maybe I'll start taking it off," Henry told WPTV outside the downtown West Palm Beach Publix on Saturday. "But for now, definitely, I'll be wearing the masks."
Other stores like Trader Joe's and Walmart are also dropping the mask policy for those who are fully vaccinated.
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Romin O'Connor, who was shopping at Walmart off 45th Street, said he's inoculated and welcomes the recent policy change.
"Yes, more comfortable," he said. "I can breathe."
Walmart employees who are fully vaccinated will not need to wear a mask at work starting Tuesday.
Other shoppers wish there would be no mask policy at all.
"People (are) still getting sick, even with the mask on. What are we wearing it for?" Cyrene Wise said. "We're suffocating ourselves and we're going to have respiratory issues later on in life with our face covered up all the time. I just don't agree with it."
Most other major retailers like Target and Walgreens are continuing to require masks for shoppers, though many are reviewing their policies with the new CDC guidance.
