Here are the state’s “Essential Safe Store Rules” that became effective April 3. Make sure your local stores are following them.
For tips on how to avoid COVID-19 at the supermarket, click here. Should you be eating fresh fruit and vegetables? Click here for more information.
Occupancy, Store Layout, Managing Customer Flow
- Occupancy capped at 50 percent of store capacity. At entrance, staff will maintain a count of the number of customers entering and exiting stores.
- Clearly mark 6-foot spacing in lines on floor at checkout lines and other high-traffic areas and, as much as practicable, provide ways to encourage 6-foot spacing in lines outside the store.
- Post conspicuous signage and floor markings to direct customers and limit bottlenecks and/or encourage spacing and flow in high-density areas.
- Have aisles be one-way in stores where practicable to maximize spacing between customers. Identify the one-way aisles with conspicuous signage and/or floor markings.
- Maximize space between customers and employees at checkout lines, including, but not limited to, only using every other checkout line, where and when possible.
- Install Plexiglas shields to separate employees from customers at checkout lines and other areas in the store where practicable.
- Retail pharmacies that have a drive-through window and lack personal protective equipment (PPE) or physical barriers at the locations where they interact with the public shall use the drive-through for the purposes of receiving and dispensing prescriptions. Pharmacies with drive-through windows shall not, however, be utilized for dispensing anything other than prescribed drugs. Pharmacies without a drive-through shall comply with all of the Essential Safe Store Rules and use delivery wherever possible.
General
- Communicate with customers through in store signage, and public service announcements and advertisements, there should only be one person per household during shopping trips, whenever possible.
- Discontinue all self-serve foods (e.g., salad bar, olive bar) and product sampling.
- Allow “touchless” credit card transactions. If not possible, sanitize credit card machines (including pen) regularly and consistently.
- Cart and basket handles sanitized between uses (by staff).
- Wherever possible, employees will wear gloves and face masks at all times that they are interacting with customers and/or handling products.
Not feeling well? Call your healthcare provider for guidance and try to avoid going directly to an emergency department or urgent care center, as this could increase the chances of the disease spreading.
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