Specific recommendations for state, county, supermarket officials to reduce possibility of supermarket shoppers causing infections or getting infections because they wait on long lines, within inches of each other. Click below for suggestions.
The media has been focusing attention on supermarket panic shopping. Food or products being purchased in large quantities-leaving shelves empty.
That’s one concern. But, some residents, including me, are concerned about supermarket customers infecting each other. I am reaching out to state and county officials and supermarket managers asking that they focus on crowds of shoppers standing next to each other--possibly causing infections or getting coronavirus infections. Many people who shop wait on long lines -within inches of others --not six feet away. These are suggestions I am making relating to supermarket shopping. None of these suggestions will be popular with shoppers or with residents but I think they could help reduce the spread of coronavirus infections.
Some suggestions to control spread of coronavirus at supermarkets: (let me know if you think of anything else)
1) Require gloves to be worn
2) have state manufacture masks and distribute them to supermarkets if there is a lack of masks. Everyone going into the supermarkets should wear one so they won’t prevent others from getting sick.
3) Require customers to take temperature before they go into supermarkets with hand held non invasive scanners. . IF they are sick they should not be allowed in. Supermarkets should be required to scan all employees upon arriving for work with hand-held non-invasive temperature scanners.
4) In China people must make an appointment to get to the supermarket. Controls over crowding conditions. In China, according to some residents who contacted me, people were assigned shopping days and have people wait in line outside with good separation while in line and entering in an orderly fashion. Limit numbers inside at any given time. As a resident on nextdoor pointed our "require s hopping on only certain days based on your date of birth on your drivers license. China did this and they saved thousands of lives".
5) Require people to stay at least six feet away from each other when checking out. and to wipe self check out locations
6) issue an Advisory saying that individuals over 60, and individuals with underlying health issues, should avoid public places and only go out for food supplies and medicines. France did this yesterday.
7) Need more drive thru locations for testing in Westchester.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor