Walmart stores across the country are implementing strict measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Starting today, both Owensboro locations will limit the number of customers in the store at one time.
Stores will now allow no more than five customers per 1,000 square feet at a given time — roughly 20 percent of a store’s capacity.
Once a store reaches its capacity, customers will be admitted inside on a “1-out-1-in” basis.
Since the pandemic began spreading in the U.S., Walmart has expanded its paid leave policies, closed stores overnight for cleaning, installed sneeze guards and social distance markers in stores, done temperature checks of employees, and made gloves and masks available to associates who want them.
Dacona Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Walmart, said in a press release Friday, “While many of our customers have been following the advice of the medical community regarding social distancing and safety, we have been concerned to still see some behaviors in our stores that put undue risk on our people. We want to encourage customers to bring the fewest number of people per family necessary to shop, allow for space with other customers while shopping, and practice social distancing while waiting in lines.”
Smith said they always want people to feel welcome at Walmart, and they know that in ordinary times a store is a gathering place for members of a community to connect and socialize.
“We look forward to the time when that is again the case; however, we now want to prioritize health and safety by encouraging customers to do their shopping at a distance from others, then head home,” Smith said.
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