Spring mask wars: As stores update COVID mask policies, are even more conflicts on the horizon?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may say fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear face masks, but the mask conflict at stores isn’t going away.

As vaccinated Americans begin to take off their masks and retailers update their masking policies, the debates and outbursts related to mask wearing (or lack thereof) are expected to continue, experts told USA TODAY.

Retailers that have dropped mask rules for vaccinated people have said they don’t plan to interrogate people or request their vaccination cards at the door and will instead rely on the honor system. The growing list includes Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, Starbucks, Target and CVS.

But what adds to the confusion – and could fuel a new round of mask battles – is that in some cases, state and local mask mandates conflict with retailers’ revamped policies, which they say are based on new mask guidelines released by the CDC Thursday. The guidance says fully vaccinated people, for the most part, no longer need to wear masks indoors and don’t need to wear masks outdoors, even in crowded spaces.

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► Retailers dropping masks: Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Costco, Trader Joe’s and Publix no longer require masks for vaccinated customers

Local advice differing from CDC guidance led to a confrontation at a Los Angeles Costco when Ricky Schroder, former “Silver Spoons” and “NYPD Blue” star, confronted a store employee asking why he wasn’t allowed inside unmasked. Schroder posted a video of the exchange on his Facebook page.

While Costco changed its policy Friday, dropping mask requirements for fully vaccinated customers, the wholesale club and other retailers’ policies include an exception: Customers who live in areas with mandates may still have to wear masks – regardless of vaccination status.

California announced Monday that it will adopt CDC’s latest mask guidance – but not until June 15.

Brian Dodge, president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, said the guidance and a “patchwork of state and local rules” about masks have created confusion. He said store employees have been at risk by trying to enforce mask policies, and the new guidelines create another level of risk.

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