Calvert County (MARYLAND) tells people when to shop -- by last name and date

[NurseJackie]

https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/04/calvert-county-orders-more-social-distancing-measures-in-stores/

Calvert County tells people when to shop — by last name and date
Listen now to WTOP News WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM

Shopping on certain days depending on the first letter of your last name. Disinfecting wipes for shopping carts. Limiting customers per square feet.

These are the latest measures Calvert County, Maryland, is putting in place for shoppers, starting Thursday.

Citing overcrowding in grocery and convenience stores, the county’s health department is asking customers to “voluntarily limit trips for groceries to once every five days” on this schedule:

Last name starting with A-C shop on dates ending with 0 and 5
Last name starting with D-G shop on dates ending with 1 and 6
Last name starting with H-L shop on dates ending with 2 and 7
Last name starting with M-R shop on dates ending with 3 and 8
Last name starting with S-Z shop on dates ending with 4 and 9

The county is also “strongly” recommending that both customers and employees cover their faces.

Other measures taking place for shoppers and stores:

People standing in line need to be at least 6 feet apart.
Disinfecting wipes need to be made available for customers to wipe down shopping carts, or those shopping carts must be properly disinfected.
Employees need to wear face masks and have the chance to wash their hands each hour.
Stores should limit customers to five people per 1,000 square feet.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Now I'll have to carry four fake IDs.

I hope this idea doesn't spread.

[woodsprite]

4. It's how we did gas rationing back in the 70s, even/odd days based on your tag #. nt

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. I recall. NT

[NurseJackie]

8. Yep... lots of confusion and irritation and aggravation and tempers flaring.

This thing in Calvert Country is voluntary... maybe it will work, but I don't see how it could be effectively enforced.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. I wondered if something like this might happen in larger communities.

[spinbaby]

3. Good

I know too many people who find reasons why they “have” to shop every day.

[malaise]

6. One of our entire parishes has been locked down

and they are using the same method to allow people to get needed supplies

[rzemanfl]

7. The S-Z people are going to be in for trouble next February.

I am not exuding confidence this morning.

[sinkingfeeling]

9. Great, sensible idea.

[yellowcanine]

10. Too complicated. Some people don't know the day of the week let alone the date.

[NurseJackie]

11. That's what I was thinking too. I was trying to think of something less complicated...

That's what I was thinking too. I was trying to think of something less complicated, that would accomplish the same goal.

Perhaps asking people to shop only on the same day of the week that they were born on. I was born on a Saturday, so that would be a good day for me.

But for folks born on Sunday, it may be problematic. And a lot of people have no idea what day they were born on and wouldn't think to ask Google what day their birthday fell on. It's easy. "what day was July 4th 1776". (Thursday, by the way.)