These Companies Have Lifted Mask Mandates For Vaccinated Workers After Omicron Surge

As states across the U.S. ‌roll back vaccine and mask mandates, large companies are changing COVID-19 guidance for their employees by doing the same.

Mask mandates came back after the surge in Omicron cases that gripped the nation over the winter months. Now that new cases are on the decline, more states and local governments and companies have made the choice to end their mask mandates. Local and state regulations that still require masks to varying degrees may hamper companies' ability to loosen mask restrictions for all employees.

Companies also have different regulations depending on employee vaccination status and local conditions, especially for a global company. Last week, Amazon and Walmart relaxed their vaccine mandates for vaccinated workers. As two of the largest employers in the U.S., their guidance to employees is closely watched, and both had to reimpose mandates due to the Omicron surge.

According to NPR, Wall Street has followed suit, along with Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, Wells Fargo and the New York Stock Exchange, in dropping mask mandates for vaccinated workers in line with New York state dropping its mask mandate for indoor businesses.

Tyson Foods, the largest meat producer in the U.S., announced Tuesday that it was dropping the mask mandate for vaccinated workers, according to CBS.

Norwegian Cruise Line also relaxed the rules regarding masks in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) change in guidance for cruises. However, other travel-related industries could not lift their vaccine mandates.

The Supreme Court refused to block mask mandates on flights, even for medical reasons. Places with large gathering crowds, such as airports and schools, still must follow federal, local and state guidance even as cases drop across the country.

Most companies have cited a reduced number of COVID-19 cases nationwide and high vaccination rates among their workers -- some companies have even fired unvaccinated employees who have no documented, valid exemption -- as reasons to loosen the guidance on mask mandates.

The loosening of restrictions comes as the CDC and President Joe Biden have indicated that loosening mask mandates and rules may be premature. No one knows whether there will be another variant of COVID-19 and if it would be more or less deadly or contagious.