Toyota US employees to keep masks on in Texas even as state lifts mandate

[BENGALURU] Japan's Toyota Motor Corp currently has no plans to ask its employees in Texas to stop wearing face masks, even as the US state lifted most of its coronavirus-related restrictions allowing businesses to reopen at full capacity as of next week.

The Japanese carmaker, which has its US headquarters and a factory in Texas, said it was looking into the move by Governor Greg Abbott to roll back the mask mandate, and it doesn't contemplate any immediate changes.

"The early read is - no change for us," Toyota spokesman Scott Vazin said.

Toyota's plant in San Antonio builds full-size pickup trucks.

The company has about 7,000 employees in Texas, including 4,400 at its Plano headquarters.

REUTERS