The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has updated its guidelines for mask wearing and physical distancing, bringing its recommendations in line with recent changes made to CDC guidance.
"In light of the recent CDC announcement that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in most settings, our Safe Stay guidelines will relax mask requirements for guests who are fully vaccinated," AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers said in a statement.
Chip Rogers
Rogers added that the AHLA is not recommending that hotels require any proof of vaccination and asks that all unvaccinated guests continue to wear face coverings and practice social distancing.
For employees, the AHLA's guidelines continue to request that all staff members, vaccinated or not, continue to wear masks indoors. Vaccinated employees working either outside or not in close contact with others can potentially be permitted to ease their face-covering protocols, however.
Despite the updates, Rogers emphasized that all hotels are still required to follow state and local requirements, many of which "may go beyond what is recommended by the CDC."