ST. GEORGE — The gradual de-masking in Southern Utah continued Wednesday, as Kroger, the parent company of Smith’s Food and Drug, announced it is relaxing its mask requirements in stores.
Kroger said as of Thursday, Smith’s patrons will no longer be required to wear face coverings, which were instituted to stem the spread of COVID-19. Workers will also no longer be required to wear masks unless they are not vaccinated. Kroger said it recommends that unvaccinated patrons also continue to wear masks. In addition to this, Smith’s is paying an extra $100 to workers who receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Kroger said it has been following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control, which announced Friday that those who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks or practice physical distancing.
“Every step of the way, our most urgent priority has been the health and safety of our associates and customers, and we have consistently leveraged expert guidance and associate and customer feedback to guide our decisions,” said Dr. Marc Watkins, chief medical officer for Kroger.
Watkins added that the market plans to continue physical distancing and enhanced cleaning practices in its stores.
As of Wednesday afternoon, supermarket retailer Albertsons – which has locations in St. George, Washington City and Cedar City – was the only major outlet in Southern Utah maintaining a requirement to wear masks in stores.
Walgreens also relaxed its mask requirements on Wednesday, while Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Harmons and Lin’s Fresh Market eliminated their mask requirements for customers after the CDC’s announcement last Friday.
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine
- Those who can currently get first dose of the vaccine: Everyone ages 12 and over. Those 12-18 can only receive the Pfizer vaccine. Use vaccinefinder.org to find clinics that have the Pfizer vaccine.
- Those who can receive the second dose: Those who received their first injection 28 days or more before the appointment time.
- Must register in advance online for an appointment time, though some pharmacies are offering walk-up appointments.
- Must wear a short-sleeve shirt at appointment and should have a personal ID.
- Proof of residency may be required, though a person does not have to reside in the county they are receiving the vaccine. Part-time residents can get vaccinated with proof of residency.
- Vaccines are free of charge.
- Those without email addresses or unable to make reservations online can get help at a specialized hotline at 435-986-2549.
- To get alerts for when new vaccine appointments are added with the Southwest Utah Public Health Department, text SWUHEALTH to 888777.
- To receive a free ride to and from a vaccine appointment through Lyft, call 211.
- Busineses, organizations and religious institutions can have a mobile vaccination clinic come to their campus free of charge by going to either this link or call the Southwest Utah Public Health Department at (435) 673-3528.
Washington County:
Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department St. George office, 620 S. 400 East, St George
Reservations: Click to register
Iron County:
Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department Cedar City office, 260 DL Sargent Dr., Cedar City, 84721.
Reservations: Click to register
Kane County:
Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department Kanab office, 445 N. Main St., Kanab.
Reservations: Click to register
Garfield County:
Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department Panguitch office, 601 Center St., Panguitch.
Reservations: Click to register
Beaver County:
Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department Beaver Office, 75 1175 North, Beaver.
Reservations: Click to register
St. George Regional Hospital/Intermountain Healthcare:
Where: 400 East Campus St. George Regional Hospital, 544 S. 400 East, St. George.
Reservations: Click to register
FourPoints Health:
Where: Various locations.
Reservations: Click to register
Revere Health:
Where: Revere Health Campus, 2825 E. Mall Drive, St. George.
Reservations: Click to register
Rocky Vista University:
Where: Rocky Vista University – Southern Utah Campus, 255 E. Center St. in Ivins.
Reservations: Click to register
Albertsons:
Where: 745 N Dixie Dr in St. George and 915 Red Cliffs Dr. in Washington City.
Reservations: Click to register
Harmons:
Where: 1189 E. 700 South in St. George and 3520 Pioneer Parkway in Santa Clara.
Reservations: Click to register
Lin’s Marketpace:
Where: 1930 W. Sunset Blvd. and 2928 E. Mall Drive in St. George, 1120 State St. in Hurricane and 150 N Main St. in Cedar City.
Reservations: Click to register
Smith’s Food and Drug:
Where: 20 N. Bluff St. and 565 S. Mall Drive in St. George and 633 S. Main St. in Cedar City.
Reservations: Click to register
Target:
Where: 275 S River Rd. in St. George.
Reservations: Walk-ins available. Otherwise, click to register
Walmart:
Where: 2610 Pioneer Rd. in St. George, 625 W. Telegraph St. in Washington City, 180 N. 3400 West in Hurricane and 1330 S. Providence Center Dr. in Cedar City.
Reservations: Walk-ins available. Otherwise, click to register
Family pharmacies:
Where: Several locations
Reservations: Use vaccinefinder.org to find a location near you
COVID-19 information resources
St. George News has made every effort to ensure the information in this story is accurate at the time it was written. However, as the situation and science surrounding the coronavirus continues to evolve, it’s possible that some data has changed.
Check the resources below for up-to-date information and resources.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- World Health Organization
- Utah Department of Health
- Safe Southern Utah
- Información sobre coronavirus en español
- To file complaint about non-compliance with mask mandate
- Intermountain Healthcare
- To Donate and Volunteer to Help
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