Grocery stores adding sneezeguard barriers and urging more social distancing

Some essential stores are starting to change the way they do business in an effort to make customers and employees safer from coronavirus.

Walmart and other grocery chains are expected to roll out floor decal signs urging customers to keep appropriate social distance: 6 feet apart.

Other changes include sneezeguards at checkout stations: a plexiglass protective screen between the customer and the cashier aimed at blocking water droplets.

Some customers said so far they haven't seen as much social distancing as they should.

"I think it's not being practiced very well," said Catherine Cammon while shopping at Walmart. "Most people are just walking around. That's why I'm wearing gloves and a mask, to protect myself."

Cammon said it can be difficult not to get close to other shoppers while picking items out of tight, sometimes crowded aisles.

In La Quinta, signs were posted Wednesday warning that the store is temporarily closed to "mitigate the spread of illness."

"I was surprised that it would be closed because I thought most of the bigger chain stores would be open," said Indian Wells resident Louise Unsoeled.

Customers said they hope they'd be warned if a positive case were detected at a business they frequent.

"Communication, that's a big thing," said Jeff Snyder. "If you've got a case that's happened at your business, yeah, sure, you'd want to communicate to everybody."

But the county said, "Public Health is responsible to notify individuals of potential exposure. ... It would not be up to the business to contact customers."

You can also expect to see stores limiting their hours to get some deep cleanings done overnight too.

You can reach Jake on Twitter, Facebook or email him at jake.ingrassia@kesq.com.