Updated: COVID-19 forces temporary New Orleans’ Walmart closures - Shreveport Times

Jimmy Watson Shreveport Times

Published 1:35 PM EDT Apr 9, 2020

The problems with COVID-19 caused something to happen on Thursday many Louisianans thought they’d never see – three Walmart stores is closing -- temporarily.

But instead of the Walmart on the Shreveport-Barksdale Hwy. closing, as was posted on the store’s Facebook page Wednesday evening, it’s three Walmart stores in New Orleans that will be closing, according to Anne Hatfield with Walmart media relations.

“For whatever reason, the Shreveport closing was posted on that store’s page when it was only supposed to be for the New Orleans’ stores,” Hatfield told The Times. “It was an error and we have pulled it. The Shreveport store is open.”

Normally open seven days a week, 365 days a year, the post for the Walmart store in Shreve City indicated it would close for one day (Thursday, April 9) for a variety of reasons. The restocking of shelves, sanitizing the store and preparing for health screening for store associates are cited as reasons for the temporary closure. The store planned to reopen at 7 a.m. Friday.

The original Facebook post, which has now been removed except for the stores in New Orleans, read as follows:

“Now more than ever before, customers are relying on Walmart for the essentials they need for their families, and our associates are doing heroic work serving their communities. Our area is suffering from a high rate of coronavirus cases. Out of an abundance of caution, we will temporarily close our store for one day on Thursday, April 9 to allow extra time for third-party specialists to further sanitize the store. It will also give our associates additional time to restock shelves and prepare the store to once again serve the community during this unprecedented time. We plan to reopen our store at 7 a.m. Friday morning.

“Everything we are doing is for the well-being of our associates and customers and in consideration of guidance by the CDC and health experts. When the store reopens on Friday, we will conduct associate health screens and temperature checks, and all associates will be provided with facemasks and gloves. These protocols are in addition to the extensive measures we’ve put in place over the past few weeks to protect our associates and customers, including installing sneeze guards at registers, limiting the number of customers in a store at a time, one-way aisle shopping, placing social distancing signage, and enacting an emergency leave policy for associates who are unable or uncomfortable coming to work.

“We will continue to work closely with health officials and adjust how we serve the community while also keeping the health and safety of our customers and associates in mind.”

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