Wegmans employees must wear masks again, encouraged for shoppers

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Wegmans will once again require all employees to wear masks while at work, the grocery store chain announced Tuesday.

The change is effective immediately. Masks are not required for Wegmans customers, but are strongly encouraged regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, the company said.

The change is in response to increasing COVID-19 cases, spread more easily by the Delta variant. The CDC recently moved several Upstate New York counties, including Onondaga, Cayuga, Monroe and Tompkins counties, into the category of "substantial transmission" and recommended masks be worn indoors, even for vaccinated individuals.