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A Walmart rep just confirmed that the store will begin restricting the number of customers that can be inside at one time, amid a second wave of coronavirus cases in the United States.
The company, which briefly stopped enforcing store capacities over the summer since rolling them out in April, announced via statement that it will resume counting and monitoring the number of customers that enter and leave the store.
Will this lead to “panic buying” or stock-piling of items, such as toilet paper and Clorox? The internet seems to think so:
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Daily highs of COVID-19 cases have led to stricter rules across the state and corporate level this week. Costco just tightened their mask policy, as CVS and Target rolled out new contactless checkouts aimed at stopping the spread.
Start stocking up on your toilet paper. Another panic buy spree is coming.
— Kevin B. (@Bostondude_34) November 15, 2020
Coronavirus: Walmart resumes metering customers in its stores https://t.co/zFjKlEK4Gy
Some on Twitter expressed concern that the limitations on customers able to visit stores would lead to "panic buying."
More than 45 states are reporting new infections this week than the week prior; many states have rolled out new capacity policies such as scaling back indoor dining and banning services for "nonessential businesses."
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"We know from months of metering data in our stores that the vast majority of the time our stores didn't reach our self-imposed 20% metering capacity," said Walmart spokesperson Kory Lundberg.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we have resumed counting the number of people entering and leaving our stores."
The company has taken other measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, namely spreading Black Friday sales, "Black Friday Deals for Days," to a nearly month-long event and urging customers to shop online and use curbside pickup.
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Shoppers that opt to visit stores will be required to form single-file lines and be given sanitized shopping carts at the door. "Health Ambassadors" will be stationed at entrances to remind people to practice social distancing and wear masks, per their store policy.
These changes, as well as others, "will be safer and more manageable for both our customers and our associates."
