SeaWorld Orlando employees who have been vaccinated for the coronavirus can now take off their masks at work, which makes the park the first major Orlando attraction to loosen the rules for staff.
SeaWorld spokeswoman Lori Cherry confirmed the rule change Tuesday, although she declined to discuss the park’s internal policies further.
Spectrum News 13 obtained an employee email that said SeaWorld staff working without face coverings will put stickers on their name tags to alert the public they are vaccinated. Employees were required to provide confirmation to SeaWorld they had indeed gotten their shots, the story also said.
Orlando’s theme parks underwent swift rule changes on May 15 following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visitors can now take off their masks outdoors at Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld.
The theme parks still require mask-wearing in ride queues and indoor areas such as restaurants and theaters.
The loosening of rules comes as cases of coronavirus in Florida and across the nation continue to drop as more Americans get vaccinated. The 1,606 cases for the state on Monday was the lowest daily number of infections reported since Oct. 12 when there were 1,533 cases.
grusson@orlandosentinel.com
