Harris Teeter, Walmart, Publix using ‘sneeze guards’ at checkout because of coronavirus
Grocery shoppers will see a new layer of protection to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus added at several Charlotte area grocery stores.
Harris Teeter and Walmart are among retailers adding new protective Plexiglas shields between customers and workers.
On Tuesday, Mecklenburg County county ordered residents to stay at home effective 8 a.m. Thursday. The county also banned private and public gatherings of more than 10 people. Grocery stores will remain open.
Harris Teeter said Wednesday the new shields will be at checkout stands, and customer service and pharmacy counters “to provide additional protection” for employees and shoppers.
Installation should be complete by Thursday, according to the Matthews-based company website.
Harris Teeter is a subsidiary of Kroger, which also is initiating the installation of the shields, according to national news outlets.
Harris Teeter also said this week it is hiring more than 5,000 people and giving bonuses to hourly employees.
‘Peace of mind’
Walmart also is planning to install “sneeze guards” and that work should be completed within three weeks.
The Plexiglas barriers will be installed at pharmacy lanes at Walmart and Sam’s Club, and regular Walmart registers, according to the company website.
“Installing these barriers is another way Walmart is helping bring peace of mind that we are doing everything we can to keep our people and our stores safe,” Walmart stated on the website.
Walmart also said it is providing employee bonuses of $300 for full-time and $150 for part-time workers, the company said, for a total of more than $365 million.
The retail giant is hiring hundreds of thousands nationwide, including more than 5,000 in North Carolina. To apply, visit careers.walmart.com.
Publix and Sprouts also plan to install the protective gear, according to industry publication Grocery Dive.
Last week, the Observer reported, some Charlotte area Trader Joe’s stores began capping the number of customers in a store at one time in order to maintain recommended social distancing and allow workers to sanitize carts between customers.
This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 5:20 PM with the headline "Harris Teeter, Walmart, Publix using ‘sneeze guards’ at checkout because of coronavirus."