LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The number of positive COVID-19 coronavirus cases continue to grow as does the number of deaths from the virus. Governors across America are asking stores and businesses that are open to do everything they can to keep customers and employees safe.
Many stores have gone to social distancing plans, such as limiting customers inside and having marked spaces for customers to wait inside and outside of the store.
While this may be an inconvenience to the customer, it's life or death for many others as we all work toward flattening the curve.
Here's a list of some of those stores:
Kroger
Kroger released its plan to limit the number of shoppers inside its stores to encourage social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
More on their social distancing plan:
WHAS11 grabbed a photo outside the Kroger store in New Albany, Indiana where they've set up carts to keep customers at least six feet a part, which is the recommended distance.
Kroger is not the only store putting social distancing plans into play. Here are some others:
Target
Starting April 4, Target stores will monitor and limit the number of guests allowed inside its stores, when necessary. In a press release, the company said guest limits will vary by location and will be determined by the store's square footage. Designated waiting areas will be set up outside the store with social distancing markers, staffed by a Target team member.
More on their social distancing plan:
Meijer
The grocery retailer Meijer announced Saturday additional steps the company is taking to make its stores safe for both shoppers and team members. Meijer is now asking its customers to limit the number of shoppers who come to the store on each trip.
More on their social distancing plan:
Walmart
Walmart now limits the number of customers who can be in a store at once. Stores will now allow no more than five customers for every 1,000 square feet at a given time, roughly 20% of a store’s capacity. To manage this restriction, the associates at a store will mark a queue at a single-entry door (in most cases the Grocery entrance) and direct arriving customers there, where they will be admitted one-by-one and counted.
More on their social distancing plan:
Costco
In an effort to increase social distancing, Costco says it will temporarily start limiting the number of people who can enter its stores. The changes started Friday, April 3.
Only two people will be allowed in for every membership card that is presented, according to the company's website. That means parents who normally haul their whole family to the store may have to leave some of them at home.
More on their social distancing plan:
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's says, in addition to increased cleaning and sanitization efforts, all of their stores have put into place a number of safety measures including:
- Limiting the amount of customers in a store at one time, implementing social distancing practices
- Recommending that customers limit their purchases to two per item
- Providing additional assistance to shoppers as needed
- Making available clean shopping carts and baskets to every customer
Home Depot
The Home Depot is promoting social and physical distancing in our stores and distribution centers.
- Stores are limiting the number of customers inside at any given time. We’re also eliminating major spring promotions to avoid driving high levels of traffic to stores.
- In addition to training our associates on social distancing, we've placed distancing markers at counters, posted signage throughout the stores and are making overhead announcements on our store PA systems asking customers to maintain safe distances, the company posted on its website.
The store has also temporarily adjusted store hours to better serve customers and communities in response to COVID-19. Our stores now close daily at 6 p.m., while opening hours will remain unchanged.
Lowe's Home Improvement
Lowe's is temporarily closing all stores at 7 p.m. daily to provide additional time for essential product replenishment and to thoroughly clean and sanitize our stores.
- Enhanced social distancing protocols by adding dedicated social distancing ambassadors responsible for monitoring customer flow in garden centers and front-end areas and to enforce customer limits to allow proper social distancing.
- Made substantial updates to our store floor layouts to further support the CDC’s guidelines for social distancing, such as opening up aisle space by removing displays to make it easier for both associates and customers to get the items they need quickly and safely.
Other stories on WHAS11 News
- 'No model is perfect': A look at how coronavirus projections are made
- Here's when COVID-19 could peak in Kentucky and Indiana
- 'We will get through this together' | 10 things Gov. Andy Beshear wants Kentuckians to do to beat COVID-19
- Kroger to give "hero bonus" to frontline workers
- Hardware stores see business growing, need for safe practices increasing
- The best times to apply for Unemployment to limit your frustrations
- Target adds extra hours, staffing amidst coronavirus concerns
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