Coronavirus Fears and Empty Supermarkets

[pseudo3d]

Went to the grocery store (HEB) yesterday. Paper products are mostly full, maybe 80% stocked. There was a palette of paper towels and toilet paper, store brand stuff, but stuff nonetheless. Half of the paper towels was the store brand (used to be that Bounty, Brawny, and others populated the shelves). No problem with water, either.

[veteran+]

I have heard from friends who work for Walmart that Walmart in recent weeks has started laying off employees. Walmart is going into full on cost cutting mode. They hired tons of employees when the pandemic started. Now the bean counters at Walmart's corporate office are freaking out over the excessive cost of employee payroll.

They started firing people for minor attendance issues again. There is an attendance point system that they use for lateness. They are searching for any reason to fire people. This supposedly will cut costs and save the company money. Walmart is already suffering from understaffing and the aisles are not getting restocked. The few employees left are overworked and overwhelmed. People are quitting left and right. Cash register lines are longer than ever and Walmart is firing cashiers.

Walmart is also locking up many items in glass cabinets. You cannot even find an employee to get a key to unlock those cabinets. Walmart is losing so many potential sales due to that.

Walmart is way too obsessed with cutting employee costs. This will only frustrate customers with long lines and out of stock merchandise. You cannot expect to rung a business like this. You will drive many of your customers to other stores. Walmart will lose business in the long run.

Nothing new and no surprises.

Everything changes and everything remains the same (especially with Walmart).

[TW-Upstate NY]

Thursday morning is my preferred time to shop and in light of the fact TOTAL case counts increased 9.3% over TWO DAYS in the area where the stores are located, I made the decision to hit only two supermarkets and stay out of the local Wal-Mart and Target. Market 32 was very well stocked on paper products but cleaning supplies were even thinner than usual and they haven't been very robust to begin with. I did manage to snag two cans of Microban spray so I can't complain. One of the must have items this time around seems to be bowl cleaner-can't remember it being so prized last time around. I didn't check if there were limits on paper products because I bought enough and then some the last go round this spring. My plan was to buy enough groceries for a month or more and between this store and the local Hannaford I did just that. And if I get creative enough, I might have enough until after the New Year. The plan right now is to stay away from any stores for at least the next two weeks-maybe longer. At that point, I'll see how bad the numbers are and maybe I'll go back but maybe not. I would've normally bought whatever kind of cleaning supplies I could get my hands on at my other two normal stops but being single and buying just whatever I'm allowed I probably have a large enough stockpile to survive a nuclear attack. But I have the luxury of being retired so I can set my own hours so to speak when it comes to shopping. Most people who work have no choice but to join the crowds because that's the only time they have available to shop.

[SamSpade]

I'm not sure if this is the best thread for this, but it seemed the most appropriate.
It's sort of a head scratcher to me that an ABS employee would report without a mask, but it's reassuring to know that the employer continues to step up and provide them even in operating environments where they may not be mandated (less and less of the country).
Here’s how Albertsons is clearing its workers during COVID. It includes a sticker
Note: On an iPad, McClatchy was trying to force me to subscribe. This seems to be a trend in print publications.
On a computer, I was able to fully read this story with no login or subscription.

[storewanderer]

I'm not sure if this is the best thread for this, but it seemed the most appropriate.
It's sort of a head scratcher to me that an ABS employee would report without a mask, but it's reassuring to know that the employer continues to step up and provide them even in operating environments where they may not be mandated (less and less of the country).

Actually masks are currently mandated in more areas of the country than at any other point this year. After early November, certain states implemented mask requirements that previously did not have one.

Only one state has lifted its mask mandate: Mississippi- and that was in September.

Currently 37 states have a mask mandate. The most recent additions were New Hampshire, Iowa, and North Dakota, back around early-mid November.

Also it is policy that anyone who enters the Albertsons building wears a mask or face covering, regardless if the store is in a state with a mask mandate or not.

I had to go somewhere with a temperature check yesterday and I clocked in at 94 and was let in. I guess as long as it isn't a fever it is okay?

[Alpha8472]

I work in a pharmacy and I do temperature checks on customers all day long before they can get a vaccination. Those touchless thermometer guns are very unreliable. You have to place the gun very close to the skin but not touch the skin. If it is too far from the skin even by a few centimeters, the temperature will be abnormally low. You can check the temperature 5 times in a row and even a slight movement will change the temperature reading by 5 or 6 degrees. That is enough to miss a person with a fever.

The temperature taker must put the gun at the exact distance indicated by the instruction manual. The forehead temperature reading can be falsified. You can stand in the sun for a few minutes and falsely read as having a fever. Or you can place a bottle of cold water on your head and you can fake a cooler temperature.

At my workplace, we get free masks. This causes many of the employees to come to the store without masks. They figure, why wear a mask to the store when you can get a free mask at the store. So yes, you end up with maskless employees coming into the store and they get a free mask at the door. The employees have their own back entrance.

[storewanderer]

I work in a pharmacy and I do temperature checks on customers all day long before they can get a vaccination. Those touchless thermometer guns are very unreliable. You have to place the gun very close to the skin but not touch the skin. If it is too far from the skin even by a few centimeters, the temperature will be abnormally low. You can check the temperature 5 times in a row and even a slight movement will change the temperature reading by 5 or 6 degrees. That is enough to miss a person with a fever.

The temperature taker must put the gun at the exact distance indicated by the instruction manual. The forehead temperature reading can be falsified. You can stand in the sun for a few minutes and falsely read as having a fever. Or you can place a bottle of cold water on your head and you can fake a cooler temperature.

At my workplace, we get free masks. This causes many of the employees to come to the store without masks. They figure, why wear a mask to the store when you can get a free mask at the store. So yes, you end up with maskless employees coming into the store and they get a free mask at the door. The employees have their own back entrance.

Also when an employee goes outside for a break, to eat, etc. they will remove their mask. I wonder if this machine is checking on the employee after break (I don't think so) to see that they still have a mask on. Also this machine is placed around the customer service desk (which is usually in the middle of the center wall- a ways from the door). It seems like it should be placed directly at the door. It is probably where it is so someone doesn't steal or vandalize it. I wonder how many employees actually arrive at work then fail a temperature check or self-assessment and get sent home?

[pseudo3d]

At my workplace, we get free masks. This causes many of the employees to come to the store without masks. They figure, why wear a mask to the store when you can get a free mask at the store. So yes, you end up with maskless employees coming into the store and they get a free mask at the door.

And the concern is people taking advantage of the company's generosity...?

[Alpha8472]

People end up not wearing a mask unless they absolutely have to. They could wear an old one on the way into work, but they don't.

[reymann]

some counties are discussing a one person one cart rule for all stores if cases continue to climb.