Costco to allow first responders, healthcare workers to skip lines to enter stores

[dalton99a]

https://komonews.com/news/local/costco-to-allow-first-responders-health-care-workers-to-skip-lines-to-enter-stores

Costco to allow first responders, healthcare workers to skip lines to enter stores
Wednesday, April 8th 2020

KIRKLAND, Wash. (KOMO) — If you're among those on the front lines battling the coronavirus outbreak, you can now skip to the head of the line when heading inside Costco, the company announced Wednesday.

Police officers, medics, and firefighters as well as healthcare workers who can present an official ID of their role will get the priority access.

Lines to enter the stores have been common as crowds remain high but Costco has limited the number of people inside its warehouse at any given time in an effort to promote social distancing.

Costco had announced earlier this month it was restricting access to just two people per membership card, and have implemented new weekday closing hours at 6:30 p.m.

In addition, the company has set aside an hour from 8-9 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to allow only those over 60 or with physical impairments who put them at high risk for COVID-19 complications to shop. The pharmacy will be open but its limited food court will not open until regular hours.

The store is also maintaining limits on some high-demand purchases such as toilet paper, bottled water, some cleaning supplies and rice, and says they have increased their protocols in sanitizing surfaces such as shopping carts, shelves and check-out counters.

[fleur-de-lisa]

1. Good. I hope other stores follow Costco.

After all these folks endure during their work shifts, the last thing they need is to stand in line with a bunch of nitwits who can't even be bothered to wear a home-made face mask. I went to my grocery store Monday. Maybe a quarter of the shoppers were wearing masks.

[lindysalsagal]

2. Now, THAT's a real problem solver. Awesome!

Selfishness is at the heart of our problems, now.

[Skittles]

3. that is a great idea

THAT is something that truly HONORS them.

[klook]

4. Great!

They've also got Senior Hours an hour before normal opening a few days each week. I went recently and was glad to see they had made several changes:

• all employees wearing face masks and disposable gloves


• signs promoting social distancing


• optical and pharmacy depts. closed temporarily


• prominent display of plentiful toilet paper & paper towels near the front of the store


• limit of 2 shoppers per membership at a time


• limits on several products to prevent hoarding

We got in and out of there in about a half hour.

AND their gasoline was cheaper than I saw anywhere else, by 40 cents!

[dalton99a]

5. +1. You can't beat Costco gas

[Flaleftist]

6. Great. Now give them their own lane so they can get through faster and limit their exposure.

We need as few of them getting sick as possible.

[unitedwethrive]

7. Terrific idea!

They should do that as well.

[Flaleftist]

8. I'm thinking one of the self-checkout stations would make sense,

so they wouldn't even have to get close to cashiers and front-end clerks.