Use of face masks hit or miss at 3 grocers; Fresh Market A-OK

May 8. Phase 1 of reopening begins today at 5 pm, with a few more retailers allowed to open, including businesses previously classified as non-essential, such as clothing and houseware stores.

Retail businesses are allowed to open at 50 percent capacity and will be required to direct customers to stand 6 feet apart, perform frequent cleanings, provide hand sanitizer when available​ and​ screen workers for symptoms.

Regardless of where you shop, practice Dr. Mandy Cohen’s three W’s. The Secretary of the NC Department of Health and Human Services says: Wear a face covering; Wash your hands; and Wait 6 feet apart from other shoppers.

The new order also allows people to leave their homes for commercial activity at any business that is open.​ We checked in with nice people working at Barnes & Noble and Banana Republic in Birkdale. Neither store had plans to reopen any time soon. J. Jill’s answering machine said they were closed through March 27.​

As of 11 am, there were strictly telephone recordings at SteinMart and Flair Trade, saying they were closed due to COVID-19.

Face masks

Gov. Cooper’s new order encourages people to wear face masks when they are out and about. ​

We checked in with ​four grocery stores around face masks, sneeze screens, meat supplies, bathroom tissue, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer between 9:30 am and 10:30 am today.

Fresh Market was impressive around face mask usage, Food Lion was quite the opposite with face masks worn by only about half the employees, include check-out clerks. One employee who was wearing one left her nose exposed.

The four stores we visited were Food Lion, Fresh Market, Harris Teeter/Jetton Village and Publix. Here’s what we found:

​F​OOD LION

FACE MASKS

EMPLOYEES:​ No​

USED CORRECTLY?​ No​

CUSTOMERS:​ Some​

USED CORRECTLY?​ Yes​

PLEXIGLASS AT CUSTOMER SERVICE:​ Yes​

GROUND BEEF:​ Yes​

WHOLE CHICKEN:​ No​

TOILET PAPER:​ No​

CLEANING SUPPLIES: ​No​

HAND SANITIZER:​ No​

FRESH MARKET

FACE MASKS

EMPLOYEES:​ Yes

USED CORRECTLY?​ Yes

CUSTOMERS:​ All​

USED CORRECTLY?​ Yes​

PLEXIGLASS AT CUSTOMER SERVICE:​ ​No customer service counter

GROUND BEEF:​ Yes​

WHOLE CHICKEN:​ Yes

TOILET PAPER:​ No​

CLEANING SUPPLIES: ​No bleach​

HAND SANITIZER:​ No​

HARRIS TEETER/Jetton 

FACE MASKS

EMPLOYEES: Yes

USED CORRECTLY? Yes

CUSTOMERS: Most but not all

USED CORRECTLY? Mostly, but some not covering nose.

PLEXIGLASS AT CUSTOMER SERVICE: Yes

GROUND BEEF: Yes.

WHOLE CHICKEN: Yes. Cut chicken and parts available as well.

TOILET PAPER: Yes. Several brands.

CLEANING SUPPLIES:  A good supply, but not all products available; there are empty spaces on shelves.

HAND SANITIZER: Yes. Available near front of store.

PUBLIX

FACE MASKS

EMPLOYEES: Yes

USED CORRECTLY? A few did not cover nose.

CUSTOMERS: Some

USED CORRECTLY? Mostly, but some not covering nose.

PLEXIGLASS AT CUSTOMER SERVICE:  Yes

GROUND BEEF: Yes

WHOLE CHICKEN: Yes. Cut chicken and parts available as well.

TOILET PAPER: No

CLEANING SUPPLIES: A good supply, but not all products available; there are empty spaces on shelves

HAND SANITIZER: No