Lexington Walmart employee tests positive for COVID; Stores will limit number of customers inside
A worker at a Walmart Supercenter in Lexington has tested positive for coronavirus.
According to Christy Nentwick, , spokeswoman for the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, a worker at the store in Hamburg at 2350 Grey Lag Way Rd. was one of 17 new cases COVID-19 reported on Friday in Lexington.
“We have been in contact with Walmart and they have been very proactive about contacting us and asking for guidance,” Nentwick said.
This store, like others in Lexington, have carts at the entrance restricting customers to single-file to reduce the number of people in the store at any time.
On Friday, Walmart announced a new nationwide policy that will strictly limit the number of customers in each store to about 20 percent of capacity, or five shoppers per 1,000 square feet of store space.
Beginning Saturday, Walmart stores will have a single entrance where customers will be counted as they enter. Once the maximum number of shoppers inside has been reached, customers will have to wait in line outside until someone leaves before they will be permitted in.
To help maintain social distancing inside the stores, Walmart also said that beginning next week it will convert traffic in the aisles to “one way.” Associates and markers on the floor will direct customers which way to go.
“While many of our customers have been following the advice of the medical community regarding social distancing and safety, we have been concerned to still see some behaviors in our stores that put undue risk on our people,” the company said in an announcement. “We want to encourage customers to bring the fewest number of people per family necessary to shop, allow for space with other customers while shopping, and practice social distancing while waiting in lines.”
Walmart had already reduced hours to allow for cleaning and restocking.
In response to questions about the employee who tested positive for COVID-19 at its Hamburg store, a company spokeswoman said the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department had provided “strong guidance.”
“We have taken action to reinforce our cleaning and sanitizing measures, which include a thorough deep-cleaning of the entire store,” said Anne Hatfield, Walmart spokeswoman.
“In addition we installed Plexiglass sneeze guards at the checkout lanes and in the pharmacy area yesterday and we’ve added signage and floor decals to encourage social distancing to ensure the safety and well-being of our associates and customers,” she said. “We will continue to assess the situation and take additional steps as needed.”
Nentwick said that the health department does not know what part of the store the employee worked in. The store has a grocery store, bakery, deli, garden center, money center, pharmacy and clinic inside.
The health department does not recommend closure to stores but recommends sanitizing and cleaning, particularly the area where the employee worked.
She said that other employees have not been asked to quarantine but that as the investigation continues more measures might be taken.
This is at least the second case of novel coronavirus in a Walmart employee; Kentucky’s first positive was with a Walmart worker was in Cynthiana.
The employee, who has since recovered, prompted Walmart to announce a new sick leave policy that covers quarantine as well as coronavirus illness.
A worker at the Kroger on Leestown Road tested positive for coronavirus on March 25.
Kroger has announced “hero bonuses” for employees as well as enhanced protective measures such as sneeze guards at cash registers.
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 3:26 PM.
