Hersheypark decided to roll back a new face‑covering policy after signage targeting guests under 21 prompted confusion and backlash online.
The controversy began April 18, when an X user named Frances posted a photo of a sign at Hersheypark that read, “Guests under the age of 21 may not wear masks or face coverings.” In the caption, Frances accused the park of putting medically vulnerable people at risk, writing that those who are “COVID‑informed and/or immune‑compromised” may want to consider another amusement park for their family vacation.
In response, Hersheypark's official X account explained that the new policy does not apply to medical face coverings, and was put in place following a somewhat chaotic opening day.
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Hersheypark added in a subsequent reply to the initial post, "We recognize our initial signage created confusion and paused this change while we review and refine our approach."
