Associate At Bowie Lowes Store Tests Positive For Coronavirus

BOWIE, MD — Lowes confirmed Friday that an employee at its Bowie store located at 16301 Heritage Blvd., has tested positive for COVID-19, the illness associated with the new coronavirus, according to an email from a company spokesperson. The associate's last work day was April 29, and they have been quarantined and are receiving care.

"The store remains open and has been extensively cleaned per CDC guidelines," the spokesperson said. "In an abundance of caution, associates who had worked closely with this individual over a period of time have been put on a paid leave."

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Lowes has made the following adjustments — taken verbatim from its email — to its in-store procedures in order to protect its associates and customers:

• Made masks and gloves available to all associates who want them or as required by state and local guidance.
  • (Note: As previously shared, all N95 medical masks were placed on a stop sale and are being donated to hospitals to protect frontline healthcare workers.)
• Actively monitoring the number of customers in our store and limiting the number of people as needed based on square footage.
• Added overhead announcements, store signage, floor markers, badges and customer and associate guidelines to emphasize the importance of social distancing.
• Added dedicated social distancing ambassadors who are leveraging the signage and new floor markers we’ve placed in all stores to help enforce proper social distancing guidelines.
• Installed customized plexiglass shields at all points of sale to protect our cashiers and customer service associates working the return desk, one of the first retailers to do so.
• Implemented a more robust curbside pickup process, so customers can be served without having to come inside the store.
• Increased third-party cleaning shifts to provide incremental cleaning in our stores, beyond already enhanced daily cleaning efforts. Cashiers and front-end teams are also regularly cleaning their work areas and registers.
• Made substantial updates to our store floor layouts to further support the CDC’s guidelines for social distancing, such as opening up aisle space by removing displays.
• Temporarily changed our delivery procedures to safeguard customer and associate health by leaving items at the front door, garage, or alternative location, or by asking if anyone in a customer’s home has tested positive for COVID-19 before entering the home for an installation.
• As required by state and local guidance, limited services and installations to those that are essential for maintenance and repair needs.

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