Universal Orlando changes face mask requirements for employees

Universal Orlando recently announced a change to its face mask requirements for employees. 

The announcement, which came on Wednesday, Nov. 17, stated that vaccinated employees will no longer be required to wear masks. 

According to a post on the theme park's employee website, the change was due to the lower community positivity rate of COVID-19.

As of Wednesday, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that Orange County’s COVID positivity rate was 2.51%. The CDC considers the county to have “moderate” rates of transmission, which we told you about here. 

Universal had previously required all its employees to wear masks indoors and in public areas, regardless of their vaccination status.

Employees can still choose to wear face coverings if they want.

Workers who are not vaccinated are still required to wear face coverings at all times while at work, including in areas not accessible to park visitors, according to the theme park. 

The company continued on to say that those who have not shared their COVID vaccination status with Universal are considered unvaccinated. 

Universal’s policy change comes as face mask requirements are lifting across the county.

On Monday, Nov. 15, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said in an email that masks are no longer required inside county facilities, but are still “recommended.”