Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons taking measures

Retailers have reduced store hours to make time for deep cleanings and now are adding a new layer of protection – sneeze guards.

Walmart and some of the nation’s largest grocery store chains – Kroger and Albertsons – are installing plexiglass barriers or partitions to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and protect both shoppers and store employees.

The protective screens will stand between a customer and a cashier so that any airborne droplets – either from a cough or a sneeze – will be blocked from hitting the person on the other side. 

“Staying safe and healthy is more important than ever for our associates, our customers and for us,” Dacona Smith, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Walmart U.S., wrote in a blog post Tuesday. “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.”