Coronavirus In Colorado: Safeway Marks Floors For Social Distancing Guidelines

DENVER (CBS4)- While grocery stores will remain open during Denver's "stay at home" order, they are now implementing new procedures to enhance the health and safety of both staff and customers. On Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis sent a letter to Albertsons Companies and The Kroger Co., encouraging these new safety protocols.

"You're going to see markers on the floor to really encourage our customers to stay that CDC recommended six feet apart," explained Kris Staaf, with Safeway and Albertsons.

Customers at Safeway will now see tape on the floor of checkout lines, and busy areas in the store such as the deli. The tape shows the safe distance customers should be from one another.

"Anywhere we might have a group of people where they come together, we're encouraging them," Staaf explained. "And I think by putting these markers on the floor will show them what six feet looks like. Essentially its two cart lengths."

Safeway had also recently installed acrylic sheets at the checkout counters to reduce the spread of COVID-19. A customer of King Soopers told CBS4, the store off 9th and Corona, also had markings on the floor on Tuesday.

While grocery stores will remain open during the "stay at home" order in Denver, the Governor recently asked residents to limit their grocery trips to once a week.

"I think anything we can do to slow down the spread would be great," a shopper told CBS4's Makenzie O'Keefe.

Safeway said despite customers seeing empty shelves now and then, they are fully stocked and customers do not need to worry about stocking up on food.

"Our warehouse is full, and we're busy restocking. We've got plenty of supply and there is no need to panic buy," Staaf said. "If everyone takes a deep breath we'll have plenty of groceries we just need to work together."

In Gov. Jared Polis' letter to major grocery store chains on Tuesday, he also suggested the following safety procedures:

• Providing appropriate gloves, masks, face screens, and other personal protective equipment to grocery store workers to the extent possible
• Consider expanding into grocery delivery services, prioritizing service to those at the highest risk
• Provide daily designated time periods for higher-risk individuals to shop
• Establish entrance/access controls to ensure crowds are in compliance with safe social distancing practices
• To the extent possible, assign those employees with higher health-risks to tasks with lowest exposure risks such as backroom work

*Editors note:

Costco has placed markers on the floor at their Sheridan Riverpoint location. King Soopers announced Tuesday they are installing partitions at many cash registers.