CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Restocking was happening steadily at grocery stores, convenience stores and other sites across West Virginia as Governor Jim Justice’s stay-home order limiting travel to essential trips continued because of COVID-19.
“Our food supply has been overwhelmed, but we’re not going to run out food,” said Traci Nelson, president of the West Virginia Oil Marketers and Grocers Association.
This week, she said there were some signs panic buying was subsiding.
Many stores have now expanded curbside services, added special senior shopping hours, reduced operational hours to allow time for additional cleaning and stocking and implemented additional safety steps for customers and employees.
On Saturday, both Walmart and Target started limiting numbers of shoppers allowed in stores at one time to comply with recommendations for social distancing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In some stores, workers were having their temperatures checked at shift starts, sanitizing high-touch surfaces each hour, wearing gloves or masks and, in some cases, running registers behind newly-installed plexiglass shields.
Customers were encouraged to keep their distance at stores of all sizes.
“We’re taking this very seriously,” said Nelson.
In-person training sessions from the West Virginia National Guard on safety and cleaning measures have involved those with Little General Stores, Par Mar Stores and DeFazio Oil, which Nelson represents.
On Friday, experts with the Guard’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Response Enterprise Task Force conducted 20 trainings overall for retailers, food establishments, convenience stores and location first responders in cargo box handling and personal protective equipment.
The team had 50 mobile training sessions planned in the coming week with healthcare providers and first responders for some parts of West Virginia with higher numbers of positive cases, including Monongalia County.
Additionally, training videos were in the works for more widespread distribution.
As for supplies at stores, “They’re more able to keep up with the demand. At the end of the day, they still have meat in their meat cases and they still have milk and all those things,” Nelson reported this week.
“We’re not going to run out of essentials so there’s no reason for you to buy two and three months worth of supplies.”
Initially, waves of shoppers cleared some stores completely of certain items.
“A couple things that they’re still having a hard time getting in are hand sanitizers, hand soap, toilet paper — they’re getting those items in, but they’re not getting as many as they ordered at times,” Nelson explained.
That was because, she said, those items were in high demand nationwide during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re competing with every other store across the United States. Their suppliers — they supply a lot of different grocery stores,” Nelson said.
“It’s just harder for the little guys, because I represent Piggly Wigglys and the little independents, so they’re not going to have the buying power, say, of Walmart or one of those stores.”
Going forward, she advised shoppers to use common sense when picking up essentials.
“If you’re not feeling well, don’t go out and don’t go in the stores and, I would also say, when you’re out, be cognizant of the other shoppers around you,” Nelson said.