CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Attention, H-E-B shoppers. You will start noticing H-E-B employees wearing protective gear to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Through a statement released on Friday night, the retail giant considered an essential business said it will strongly encourage all H-E-B employees who work in stores, warehouses, manufacturing and transportation facilities to wear masks and gloves while working. H-E-B said it will provide the masks to them starting Saturday, April 4.
Employees will be given the option to utilize the protective gear, but everyone is still required to follow H-E-B’s strict hygiene and sanitation measures as well as proper social distancing protocols.
The announcement comes after the White House, CDC and U.S. Surgeon General announced during Friday's White House briefing that they are recommending citizens wear fabric or homemade masks when out in publicand unable to avoid social distancing like grocery stores. Recent studies show that the coronavirus could be spread more easily than thought before.
The grocery chain that once headquartered in Corpus Christi has made quick adjustments to policies and operations since the start of the pandemic. Stores began limiting sales of certain items so that products were available to as many customers as possible. Hours of operation were reduced to allow more time at night for crews to sanitize and restock shelves. Then H-E-B implemented new safety measures. Sneezeguards were added to all cash registers, stickers for social distancing measurements were placed on floors, and more employees were hired to stock and perform routine cleaning measures like wiping down carts after each use.
H-E-B remains one of the few businesses that has not been forced to limit the number of people in a store at one time.