FRESH MARKET WAS THE BEST ON FACE MASKS IN OUR SURVEY TODAY
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:
FOOD 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
