Coronavirus: New Stop & Shop Early Hours For 60+ Customers

WOBURN, MA — As part of efforts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, Stop & Shop announced special early hours only for customers over 60. A special marked entrance will be open from 6 to 7:30 a.m. daily starting Thursday, to reduce the risk of spreading the new virus. The chain will not be checking ID, according to the announcement, but other customers are asked to respect the special purpose. Staff may ask younger customers to leave.

Health officials say elderly people are most susceptible to the new virus.

Starting Monday, most Stop & Shop stores changed their hours to 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. to give staff more time to restock "and to take some time for rest," the company said.

The company also has a new "contact-free" delivery option for home delivery. Delivery drivers will leave bags on the doorstep and building entry and return to their vehicle, and customers will be texted or emailed.

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Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.