Trader Joes will no longer require masks for fully vaccinated people!!

[beaglelover]

Fantastic news!! Progress!!

Trader Joe's has updated its mask policy and will not require customers who are fully vaccinated to wear a mask.

The specialty supermarket is believed to be the first major national retailer to make the change after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new masking guidelines Thursday.

"We encourage customers to follow the guidance of health officials, including, as appropriate, CDC guidelines that advise customers who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks while shopping," Trader Joe's said on its COVID-19 page that was updated Friday.

Last week, the company confirmed to USA TODAY that it dropped senior hours at many of its stores, except where required.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2021/05/14/trader-joes-masks-not-required-fully-vaccinated-after-cdc-guidelines/5093425001/

[rurallib]

1. And how would they know if someone is fully vaccinated?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. Well, if he's not wearing a mask, he must be vaccinated, right? nt

[OnDoutside]

12. There's a subtle shift now though. Vaccinated people are up to 95% protected, and don't spread.

Non-Vaccinated people are taking a chance in not being masked up, as they have no idea who is vaccinated and who isn't. It would be Russian roulette for them to go out without a mask.

[LisaL]

15. Who says vaccinated people don't spread?

That seems to be another baseless claim for which there is no proof.

[OnDoutside]

29. Eh ? What are you on about ? CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said so, even last night on TRMS.

MADDOW: In terms of breakthrough infections, people who are vaccinated who are nevertheless contracting COVID -- I know it`s a very, very small number of people, but you have -- you and the CDC have talked about the fact that there have been thousands of these cases.

Importantly, they`re less dangerous cases of COVID. They tend to be asymptomatic cases. Very, very, very, very small proportions of people who are vaccinated who still get infected, end up very sick or having to be hospitalized. They also pose less of a risk to other people in terms of shedding -- having a high viral load shedding virus, all of those important things.

But have we learned anything? With now having -- you know, tens of millions of people vaccinated in this country, hundred of millions of shots out there, have we learned enough about the differences between the vaccines? Can we yet say whether there`s more of less of a chance of a breakthrough infection with any of our three vaccines, or should we think of them all as essentially offering equivalent protection?

WALENSKY: So, we do know from the clinical trials that the vaccines did what they were supposed to do. They were supposed to prevent severe infection, hospitalizations and death, and all of them worked equally well in doing so. They were essentially 100 percent effective in preventing severe infections, hospitalizations, or death.

Do we know exactly whether one vaccine might result in more asymptomatic infections than another? That is still under study. But for the most part when we have seen these studies that have been doing screening of people, testing of people who have been vaccinated, what they`re finding is when they`re asymptomatically infected, rarely asymptomatically infected, they`re not shedding virus to others.

https://www.msnbc.com/transcripts/transcript-rachel-maddow-show-5-13-21-n1267352

[Rhiannon12866]

71. Dr. Fauci explained how even vaccinated people can spread the virus:

Dr. Anthony Fauci explains where, why and how long fully vaccinated people need to continue wearing masks and social distancing.

[cinematicdiversions]

98. Even if they do the other vaccinated people won't get sick

Though the research shows they really don't.

[womanofthehills]

47. Your protection depends on how long ago you were vaccinated, plus variant plus

Your own individual immune system. From Forbes-

The second consideration, which I’ve already written about at length in my viral variation series for Forbes, is that the new SARS-CoV-2 variants are proving to be more difficult to neutralize than the original wild-type virus that emerged out of Wuhan, China. Several studies have already documented how the efficacy of the first generation of Covid-19 vaccines—even at their most potent, in the days following immunization—falters against the B.1.351 variant in particular, remaining protective but not as much as before. The predictive model echoed this, showing that the variants pose a greater threat to vaccines with a lower initial efficacy against the wild-type virus. If the initial efficacy of a vaccine is around 70 percent, for example, and the neutralizing titers of the vaccine are reduced five-fold due to a new variant, the researchers predict efficacy will fall to just 25 percent.

This brings up a third and final consideration—that not all vaccines are created equal. While the correlation between initial efficacy and duration of protection is consistent across all the vaccines, their individual neutralizing antibody titers varied widely. The Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines performed the strongest, with an initial efficacy of 95 percent that didn’t drop to 50 percent until around day 200. By contrast, the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca adenovirus vaccines, which had an initial efficacy of 67 and 62 percent respectively, reached the 50 percent mark around day 50. At the far end of the spectrum was the Sinopharm vaccine, which had an initial efficacy of 50 percent in the first place and, within the same amount of time, offered next to no protection at all
https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2021/03/25/modeling-study-predicts-immune-protection-may-vary-for-different-covid-19-vaccines/?sh=78ac83705dd2

[Ms. Toad]

58. Vaccinated people who become infected are as likely to infect others as unvaccinated people. n/t

Would you take a 5% risk of a polio infection by walking into a store full of people infected with polio not wearing masks?

That's the situation Trader Joe's is encouraging by not coupling its new requirement with proof of vaccination.

[Rhiannon12866]

73. Dr Fauci explained this week on how even vaccinated people can still get infected and spread it:

Dr. Anthony Fauci explains where, why and how long fully vaccinated people need to continue wearing masks and social distancing.

[Dorian Gray]

76. He also says

that as the level of community infection gets lower and lower that becomes less and less likely. And he says to listen to CDC guidance which is constantly changing and updating. And he's in a room with other people and NOT wearing a mask as he's talking.

Of course if you're in a place with high community spread, protect yourself. I live in NYC and I'm going to keep masking up when I go shopping at Trader Joe's. I bet most people in my section of Brooklyn will, even though we have great numbers here.

But his discussion is actually about listening to CDC guidance.... that's doesn't mean anybody is forcing us to take the mask off. It just means that the guidance is loosening because the vaccines are working. That's a net positive thing.

[OnDoutside]

82. He is saying nothing different to what the CDC have advised. Nothing. If you are in the January

sales, in a huddled mass of people like the subway, or some other big grouping in an enclosed area, you should wear a mask. But remember, if you are fully vaccinated, while you may get Covid, you will not end up in the ICU, and you will not die. Things that happen in life are a set of percentages, and by being fully vaccinated, you have vastly reduced the effects of what covid can do to your body. You are lucky in the US, 50% of the population has received at least one dose and nearly 40% have been fully vaccinated. Here in Ireland, it's 30% and 11% fully vaccinated. You're well ahead of the rest of the world, that's the reality. There's no law saying you can't continue to wear a mask, despite being fully vaccinated, in fact you could double mask if it gets you added comfort ?

[Heart666]

83. Have you heard about the Yankees outbreak?

Vaccinated and 8 have COVID.

[beaglelover]

90. Have any of them been hospitalized or died?????

No one ever said the shots would prevent you from getting COVID. They will prevent you from being hospitalized and dying from COVID.

[cinematicdiversions]

95. And it seems none are sick

They wouldn't even know if they didn't have mandatory testing.

[beaglelover]

104. Yep!

I'll be concerned when a large percentage of fully vaccinated people end up on vents and dying. Until then, breakthrough cases are to be expected and their prevalence is miniscule.

[Ace Rothstein]

111. Why do people here keep pointing to the Yankees situation as if it should be concerning?

8 people out of their traveling party of roughly 60 have it.
7 of them are asymptomatic.
1 of them has mild symptoms.

Sounds like the vaccine is working as intended.

[womanofthehills]

128. Forbes today quoted a new study saying at 200 days post vax

You are only 50% protected. J & J numbers under 5o % So those who were vaccinated early already have diminishing antibodies. Also, because everyone’s immune system is different some who are vaccinated will make very few antibodies, some high antibodies, the younger will make way more than the older folks and the immune compromised. So, you cannot say you will have 95% protection - everyone has unique immune reactions. Some can get vaccinated and only have 5% protection while another can have 99%. This is not black & white and not very well studied yet. Plus, the Vaccines might only be 40% or less protective on the new Indian variant B.1.617.2. I will be wearing a mask probably for a very very long time and no longer shop at stores that drop mask requirements.

[USALiberal]

87. +1000

[beaglelover]

3. They won't. But it shouldn't make any difference at this point.

If the unvaccinated want to risk going into Trader Joe's unmasked and not social distancing, that is on them, not the fully vaccinated people in the store.

[CentralMass]

7. Ya, f.ck them right ? We got our ours. (Insert sarcasm)

[Yavin4]

11. I'm finishing up a graduate program at my school.

When I applied to the program, I had to provide the school with my record of vaccinations for the Mumps, Measels, and Rubella.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

23. It's getting to that point. We got ours, ...

... and most who didn't get vacc'ed have had opportunity to get them.

So, in the spirit of being exhausted by all the drama, yes, f.ck em. Get the damned shots already.

[BGBD]

44. Absolutely

I'm not going to go out of my way to protect people too stupid to protect themselves

Vaccines are universally available for 12+ and soon that'll be 6 mo+. If you aren't vaccinated you can still wear a mask or avoid crowds. I'm done. If a bunch of nazis get covid because theu worship Trump then yea, fuck them.

[cinematicdiversions]

100. Well ya... maybe they will follow the science next time. Nt

[CentralMass]

105. Preemptively changing the guidelines to no mask required for the vaccinated when only 36% of the

population has been vaccinated ? Is that application of science?
Was this someone fucking up and then they couldn't walk it back ?

[cinematicdiversions]

108. Science has shown if you are fully vaccinated you

Are good to go. We have known this for a few months and nothing has changed.

So yes they are following the science.

[CentralMass]

110. That is presently 36% of the population.

[Ms. Toad]

60. And what about the children from age 0-11, and those who cannot be vaccinated

or who are vaccinated but cannot develop immunity?

[beaglelover]

65. They can wear a mask and social distance.

[Ms. Toad]

68. That's pretty callous.

Responsible citizens care for each other and take steps to protect those who cannot protect themselves - especially when masking and social distancing provide nowhere near the protection that vaccines offer. Because they cannot create equivalent protection, we have an obligation to continue to protect them by participating in creating safe spaces.

It is far less important that vaccinated people mask to create that protection - BUT - since no one is talking about checking vaccination status of people wandering around without masks, that means we all need to wear masks until it is safe enough (low infection rates +high vaccination rate) to provide reasonable protection for those who can't protect themselves.

[Dorian Gray]

78. I think this is the problem

where i live, we have high vaccination rates and low infection rates. (I live in the magical land of park slope, Brooklyn which has something like 65% of adults vaccinated and a .60% positivity rate.) I have a ten year old kid, so I get the anxiety about kids! I also am super comfortable with the evolving CDC guidance.

Her school: Masks still necessary. All the stores around here: People wearing masks. Even the Trader Joes. People are starting to take them off outside. (Me too!) We are starting to go to outdoor restaurants with our vaccinated friends... and even their kids. We have done more playdates in the park with more friends who we haven't seen. We have brought our vaccinated parents back into our home.

As long as she isn't vaccinated, we will continue to wear masks in public indoor spaces. (Or if we're caught up outdoors in a big crowd, there too.)

But bc of the diminishing numbers and changing guidance, I feel safer bringing my unvaccinated daughter on public transportation (with a mask), to gymnastics class (with a mask), to the supermarket to pick stuff up (with a mask).

Will this guidance allow some people to act like assholes? Unfortunately, yes. But in areas where there is a LOT of compliance, it's getting better, and I'm super lucky to live in one of those places.

I totally understand the anxiety that the changes bring, especially for those with immunity disorders who don't know what will happen. Or those who live in places with poor compliance and lots of anti-mask MAGA types. But getting to a place where we can ease restrictions is a positive thing, and I hope we can keep it going. (lower covid rates and higher vaccination rates!)

[Roland99]

25. B I N G O

[Jose Garcia]

55. They don't.

[lame54]

114. Honor system

[rurallib]

117. That works so well

[madaboutharry]

4. They will have no idea who is vaccinated and who is not.

Trader Joe’s confirmed that no proof of vaccination will be required. It’s the honor system. Good luck with that.

I hope I am wrong, but I think we are going to see another wave this summer among all the anti-vaxxers.

I have now heard among the vaccinated that if these people don’t want to get vaccinated than it is their own damn fault if they get sick. I don’t know how I feel about that attitude. I got vaccinated as soon as I could and I am grateful for the vaccine. But I feel it is bad for the country in a lot of ways that so many aren’t vaccinated.

[TheBlackAdder]

24. I'm glad I live in NJ with mandatory mask rules. Hopefully, they'll remain in effect.

[Klaralven]

32. N.J. to keep indoor mask mandates despite CDC change, Murphy says. But vaccinated people can ditch m

N.J. to keep indoor mask mandates despite CDC change, Murphy says. But vaccinated people can ditch masks outdoors.

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/05/nj-to-keep-indoor-mask-mandates-despite-cdc-change-murphy-says-but-vaccinated-people-ditch-masks-outdoors.html

Which is pretty much current practice.

[cinematicdiversions]

102. Murphy going to have a hard time holding that line

For long.

[Roland99]

26. A new spike coming from variants not covered by vaccines

[BGBD]

45. Been hearing that for months

Hasn't happened yet

[womanofthehills]

48. The variant B.617.2 from India is now in the US

It’s cases are now doubling weekly in UK. It’s more transmittable and some scientists say vaccines will still protect some but not at the same level they protected from the original virus.

[BGBD]

51. Broken record

That's exactly what's been said about every variant that's been the flavor of the week since Thanksgiving.

[cinematicdiversions]

103. There is zero reason to believe that.

I think this kind of anti science fear mongering really has no place in a serious discussion.

[Ms. Toad]

61. We'll probably hold relatively steady over the summer -

a combination of significant vaccination and lots of outdoor activity.

But - unless vaccination rates increase I expect another surge in the fall when the weather gets colder

[bbernardini]

5. I think they're just tired of the Karens and the rat lickers.

I feel like 99% of the mask meltdown videos I see take place at Trader Joe's.

[Agschmid]

38. Yup.

[Dorian Gray]

79. YES!

I feel badly for their staff who have to police that.

[Goonch]

6. FBI turns attention to COVID vaccine cards, says liars face jailtime

Some don’t want it, some say they have it, and others have cards to prove it. But now the FBI has been pulled in regarding the vaccination card’s legal backing.


WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) — Tensions between fighting COVID-19 and the apprehension with the emergency-use vaccines remain uncomfortable throughout the country.

7NEWS asked federal officials point-blank; Can you be charged for falsifying your own health records? The short answer is yes.

[former9thward]

54. Who are the federal officials and what is the law?

[Goonch]

75. ;-{)

https://www.wtrf.com/ohio-county/fbi-turns-attention-to-covid-vaccine-cards-says-liars-face-jailtime/

[former9thward]

93. Let's see.

There is no one identified who says its against the law. The only person in the story identified is a FBI agent talking about identify theft --- which is not relevant to this story.

The only law cited is a law concerning documents that are directly issued by the federal government such as a passport. My vaccination card was issued by a drug store employee. That particular law does not apply.

[Elessar Zappa]

77. Are you ok with people carrying false vaccination cards?

[former9thward]

85. I am not ok with the swimware some out of shape people wear at the beach.

And I wish it was against the law. A "federal official" could be anyone under the sun. Their position is what possibly makes what they say important. And what is the law? I guess that is too much to ask....

[marie999]

8. Aren't some people who have been vaccinated getting the virus

and can't they give it to children who can't be vaccinated yet?

[womanofthehills]

49. The CDC said 9000 vaccinated people got the virus AND ..

The CDC will NO LONGER count breakthroughs - only the vaccinated who end up in the hospital or deceased.

The CDC changed how it tracks breakthrough COVID-19 cases among fully vaccinated Americans this month, spurring concerns from scientists about the potential for inadequate data, reports Bloomberg.

The agency switched from monitoring all reported breakthrough cases to only ones that result in hospitalization or death as of May 1, Tom Clark, MD, head of the vaccine evaluation unit for the CDC’s vaccine task force, told Bloomberg. The CDC's goal is to improve the quality of data collected for severe cases that have the greatest clinical and public health importance. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/cdc-narrows-monitoring-of-breakthrough-covid-19-cases.html

[Ms. Toad]

62. Yes. They can give it to children who can't be vaccinated.

Anyone who acquires COVID 19 can transmit the virus to others.

[LisaL]

9. Fantastic news? For whom?

Nobody is going to be checking if people who go there without masks are vaccinated or not.

[Ace Rothstein]

10. People who are vaccinated.

We don't have to unnecessarily wear masks any longer.

[LisaL]

14. No vaccine is 100 % effective.

I absolutely do not feel this is a fantastic news for me. Now I am going to be exposed to maskless un-vaccinated people (since nobody will be checking what their vaccination status actually is). In fact I likely won't go to stores at all. Stick to on-line ordering.

[beaglelover]

18. You do what you need to do to feel safe.

Me, on the other hand, am not afraid to get COVID at this point since I'm fully vaccinated. If I get it I have a tiny tiny tiny chance of being hospitalized and an even tinier chance of dying. I'm good with that.

[LisaL]

20. I am not happy because I started venturing out, but now I am again going to be stuck.

It's not a fantastic news for me by any means.

[liberal_mama]

50. Me too. After 15 months, I finally went grocery shopping again myself and I felt safe

Now I'm going to have to go back to grocery delivery.

[SoCalNative]

30. Which, unfortunately

you can't do with Trader Joe's.

[LisaL]

33. But I can with Whole Foods.

NT

[Ace Rothstein]

37. To each their own.

I'm looking forward to not having to wear a mask to 90% of the places I go. The vaccine isn't 100% effective but if you get a breakthrough case then you probably won't even know you have it. I don't understand what the end game is here with COVID for some posters.

[Ms. Toad]

64. The end game is a low enough infection rate and a high enough vaccination rate

so that COVID dies out for lack of bodies to infect.

Giving implicit permission to lie about vaccination status and go about without a mask increases the infection rate and delays when we arrive at the virus dying out stage.

[cinematicdiversions]

96. The crisis ending seems to bother some beyond all reason. Nt

[Ace Rothstein]

99. I've said a few times that there is a contingent here who doesn't want COVID to end.

The new mask policy reactions have only reinforced that for me. The number of people, even though pretty small, who advocate for permanent mask usage is pretty shocking.

[cinematicdiversions]

101. It is only a matter of months

Before we morph from look at that nutjob not wearing his mask to look at that nut job screaming at people to wear masks still.

[Ace Rothstein]

112. Odds that person ends up being one of our posters?

LOL

[Treefrog]

113. You think it's ending?

Lol.

[cinematicdiversions]

115. Yes. It clearly has ended for a sizable

Group of Americans and Brits.. we can hope the rest of the civilized world catches up soon. (Looking at you Japan, Canada, EU)

[Treefrog]

13. Yup.

Thank you.

[beaglelover]

16. Why does that matter?

If you are not vaccinated, you can still wear and mask and social distance.

For those of us who are fully vaccinated, we can no longer wear a mask if we don't want to.

So it's fantastic news to those of us who are vaccinated. We're FREE!!!

It's an awesome feeling!

[LisaL]

19. I wonder if you realize that vaccines were not tested in a "free" enironment?

Nobody told vaccinated people they should go mingle with covid infected patients to see what efficacy actually is. 95% efficacy is with people taking precautions. And even then the efficacy is not a 100%.

[beaglelover]

21. I'm dealing with recent real world stats

Something like 5800 breakthrough cases among 77 million vaccinated. Of those 5800, a tiny number ended up dying.

You do what you need to do to feel safe. Keep wearing a mask and social distance if you want to.

I, and millions of other fully vaccinated people, no longer want to wear masks and social distance. Outdoors or indoors.

[USALiberal]

88. It sounds like you were scared of masks?

[beaglelover]

106. You might want to get your hearing checked. LOL!

[Sibelius Fan]

17. TJs: a limited selection of mediocre products at inflated prices.

Never understood the appeal.

[madaboutharry]

22. Their frozen potato pancakes/latkas are pretty good.

I’ve gone into Trader Joe’s just for that.

[RegularJam]

28. I've heard this over and over again about TJ's.

People have TJ favorites. I am big into beef jerky and have been told theirs is amazing. I now have diverticulitis and removed beef jerky from my diet. Still make it for others on occasion.

[SoCalNative]

31. Their pre-cooked

sliced gyro meat is also very good, and one of the few places that you can find it, esp in a small package.

Also, their frozen fish selection is excellent. And my guilty please is their cheese and green chile tamales.

[iemanja]

59. Trader Joe's is cheap

Their food is hit or miss, but they definitely are less expensive than most stores.

[moonscape]

63. Inflated from what? In my area they

are definitely one of the thriftiest options.

[electric_blue68]

74. I love Traders. Haven't been there since ? last Aug...

They have a great cheese selection! At least from last visit their milk is at least 20¢ less than my neighborhood's. Their whole milk yogurt. Granola. Good veggies, riced broccoli, or cauliflower, regular, cherry and heirloom tomatoes, apples, madarin oranges, grapes, very brief season of champagne grapes. Pastas, rice. Herbs, and spices. Indian food. Good various chips. PB, pretzels w PB. Choc bars.

Mine isn't super close, but since I'll now mix sudway and bus travel (vs 3 buses last Aug) it'll be quicker , too. Only stopped going because it was reported in our area of employees getting sick.

I mightv evenn go to my Green Market again in July as Heirloom 💖 tomatoes pop up, along with fresh corn, kirby cukes. There's a great particular biodynamic organic farm with great (but expensive) cheeses. Hopefully the maple syrup, and maple candy people will be there, too.
Weee, heeee! 🥰

[cinematicdiversions]

97. Inflated prices??????

There is some junk food pretending to be healthy but Trader Joe's is very inexpensive.

[lame54]

116. TJ's is cheaper than most places

[Sibelius Fan]

129. Joe's does not rate well when compared to normal grocery stores:

1. Joe’s typically carries only half of the food items included in typical shopping cart surveys, so any bargain you get at Joe’s is offset by having to shop elsewhere for certain items.

2. Joe’s prices for fresh meat and dairy are generally higher than what you would pay at Ralphs/Krogers or Stater Bros. Their frozen meats can be cheaper per pound than fresh, but are more expensive than frozen meats at Costco and Sam’s Club. However, you need to buy in bulk at the warehouse clubs to get the lower per-pound price.

3. Produce is generally more expensive at Joe’s, but spot discounts on certain items are lower than other groceries. Quality of Joe’s produce may or may not be higher than at the larger chains.

4. Joe’s prices are generally lower than those at Target and other chains where the grocery section is a small department, higher when compared to grocery stores.

[lame54]

130. Wrong...

Cheaper than
Safeway
Kroger
Raliegh's
Bel-Air
Smart n final

Some of these places may have club prices but they bounce around every week
Trader Joe's has no sales - the price is the price is the price

Those places change prices constantly
They may have up to 10,000 price changes in a week

On a heavy week Trader Joe's will have 50
Thier prices change when their cost change

And let's not even talk wine prices

[brooklynite]

122. I go regularly and find their products generally good quality and cost-effective...

[RegularJam]

27. It's a no mask policy.

Not a vaccinated/unvaccinated policy.

Not saying I’m for or against but we should at least recognize it for what it is.

[Skittles]

36. exactly how will they know who is vaccinated

?

[Skittles]

34. how exactly is this progress?

it is very ill-advised indeed

[LisaL]

35. Yep, we are right back where we started, with no mask policy.

We went backwards. That's not progress.

[Calculating]

120. Is progress supposed to be wearing masks forever?

If so I'm saying no.

[beaglelover]

40. It's progress towards getting back to normal life.

Which is fantastic! Those who want to wear a mask to stay safe, still can. No one is stopping them.

[Skittles]

53. those of us who care about public health will mask

those who don't give a shit, you know, LIKE TRUMP HUMPERS, will not

as someone said on Twitter, when this pandemic is over there will still be a LOT of people I will STILL want to socially distance from - stupid, SELFISH ASSHOLES

[Dorian Gray]

80. So, if I go to the park or the beach

and have a picnic with my family and some vaccinated friends... and we choose not to wear a mask because we are outside.... you would assume we are trump humpers? Or is it more nuanced than that?


(That's why evolving guidance is needed.)

[Treefrog]

41. Yep.

What an utter cock-up the handling of this pandemic has been from beginning to wherever we are now. I think Biden has helped us immeasurably, but I have zero faith in the CDC now.

[OhioChick]

52. Intelligent Question n/t

[budkin]

39. So EVERYONE then

It’s stupid to create policy like this with no way to check.

[VarryOn]

42. I'm very grateful for news this week that many mandates are relaxing or going away...

Now, I'm waiting on the airlines. Flying has been the most uncomfortable mask-wise for me.

[Dorian Gray]

81. I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

[VarryOn]

84. I agree...

They will probably be the last.

[cinematicdiversions]

107. Yeah I have couple of flights in June I am not

Looking forward to. At least they are short.

[VarryOn]

43. I'm very grateful for news this week that many mandates are relaxing or going away...

Now, I'm waiting on the airlines. Flying has been the most uncomfortable mask-wise for me.

[Tree Lady]

46. I know my area filled with conservatives that won't

get vaccine and hate masks. I will be still wearing mine. Too many cases locally and variants, when those go down I might take it off.

[Ms. Toad]

56. Guess I won't be shopping at Trader Joes, then. Thank goodness Giant Eagle has more sense. n/t

Stores will not require or request proof of vaccination from customers, Trader Joe's spokesperson Kenya Friend-Daniel told USA TODAY. Employees still have to wear masks at this time.

In other words, all those fools who only grudgingly wore masks will now abandon them and pretend they are vaccinated.

[beaglelover]

67. OK.

[iemanja]

57. This no masking trend is dangerous

Many more people will die.

[beaglelover]

66. Disagree.

We have to get back to normal. No more masks for fully vaccinated people!

[iemanja]

69. There is no way to tell vaccinated from non-vaccinated people

What this means is that the people who have no intention of getting vaccinated will run around infecting--and killing--millions.

[beaglelover]

92. Millions????? LOL.

[iemanja]

118. hundreds of thousands

my decimal points were off over night.

We've already lost nearly 600,000. How many more lives are worth your not having to feel a bit of discomfort over wearing a mask? I'm not talking about just in Trader Joe's. This is happening all over the country, including in my state of MN where the mask mandate was just lifted.

[USALiberal]

89. 6 recs should show your post is not helpful! Nt

[beaglelover]

91. Oh NO, people on the internet did not rec my post!!!!!

Whatever shall I do. Must go kill myself. LOL!!

[USALiberal]

94. Nice try though, not what you expected I'm sure! Nt

[cinematicdiversions]

109. But almost none of them will be fully vaccinated

At this point we need to allow people who have done the right thing get back to normal.

[iemanja]

119. I really fail to see

why wearing a mask is that big of a deal. It saves lives. The medical experts are not on board with the politicians' actions.

[Meowmee]

70. I don't see any of this as good news, it is

Just more stupidity on the part of the cdc and retailers. Huge numbers of unvaccinated people will lie and go unmasked which puts everyone, even the vaccinated at risk, this can create more variants and a possibly never ending cycle of the virus.

Do we want to stop this or not? Apparently not. It could have been done in 3-4 months if the proper steps had been taken immediately and then you keep precautions up until a large number are vaccinated and numbers are way down. Numbers being way down is very important. Until then I will mask everywhere while out except outdoors with people social distanced.

No matter how small my risk may be to contract it again, covid pneumonia last April has had serious longterm effects on my health and in January covid infection destroyed my father's health. None of that had to happen. I am not risking any chance of covid infection again if I can avoid it. I don't want to possibly spread it to others either of course. I saw one of my doctors yesterday who agrees with me. This is the wrong time to stop masking. The vaccine rate is not high enough yet to stop masking, there are variants which can overcome some of the vaccines, more variants may develop and in addition this decision will not encourage anyone who is resistant to vaccination to be vaccinated. It will allow people to lie and not wear masks etc.


Another point is that things have changed forever, the trauma of what has happened and the fear etc. are not going to simply be erased, life is not going to go back to normal based on these changes.

[Lemon Lyman]

72. Bummer

I think this is a bad move. It won't affect me much because I've been using stores who have really good store pick-up options (Sam's Club, Target) since the pandemic started. But I like Trader Joe's a lot. I don't get there much b/c the closest one is 100 miles away. I love Costco. I don't get there much b/c it's 60 miles away. I miss browsing, but not enough to go into a busy store.

It blows that TJ's & Costco don't do store pick-up. I would like my $$ to go to a place like Costco. I hate giving business to the Sam's Club people. But their store pick-up is the sh*t! Someone picks all of your stuff and loads it into your vehicle for free?? What a great service.

I hate this move to get away from masks inside buildings for various reasons.

1) I think you have a better chance of kicking Covid's ass long-term if you vaccinate and wear masks.

2) I think it's going to put more pressure on other stores to do this. People who hate masks will complain even more now that some stores don't require them. If all stores band together and require masks (or take Thanksgiving off, or whatever) people have to do the right thing. They have no alternative. They have to buy supplies somewhere. This will lead to more Karen'ism, IMO. They'll be more prone to sh*t their pants when they go to a store which requires masks b/c they didn't have to wear one at Costco or wherever.

3) I think it will lead to more confrontation between maskholes and mask wearers. I expect this to happen eventually anyway. If I choose to wear a mask for a long time yet (maybe forever), inevitably jerkoffs are going to come up to me and start stuff..."Why are you wearing a mask?? You know you don't have to." I get why mask wearers are bothered by maskholes not wearing them. You wearing a mask protects others. Others wearing masks protect you. When people choose not to wear them your risk goes up. I have no idea why it bothers maskholes that mask wearers wear them.

[USALiberal]

86. Lol, "fantastic news"???

[cinematicdiversions]

123. Add Walmart and Costco and Publix to that list NT

[beaglelover]

124. GREAT!! More progress towards normality!!!

[DangerousRhythm]

125. Speak for yourself. I'm an "essential worker"...

...and now I will have to work for eight hours or more in a building full of hundreds of unvaccinated potential spreaders breathing my air. Great if you’re dipping into a store for ten minutes to pick up something, not so great for workers who don’t have healthcare or benefits of any kind. But hey, as long as you’re not inconvenienced anymore, screw us, right?

[beaglelover]

126. Are you vaccinated?

[DangerousRhythm]

127. Half of my coworkers aren't.

I don’t wish to see anyone else get sick. Close to fifty of my fellow workers have caught COVID already, one died and one can barely walk anymore so she can’t work. A few have caught it twice and had a bad time of it.

Again, screw us I guess.