As the life-changing coronavirus outbreak has been taking place for nearly a year now, some retail businesses have been required to remain open while implementing safety precautions at the same time. Many store owners have been taking initiative in order to make sure their stores would be safe enough to run. From small things such as putting up mask signs to installing actual plexiglass in order to avoid direct contact, promoting the safety of COVID-19 is the top priority. These stores have managed to continue in this outbreak while being able to contribute to the safety and health of the public.
Many retail businesses have been spreading awareness of COVID-19 while continuing to run their stores, and have seen that there are some people who have not been taking the coronavirus outbreak seriously at all. In fact, many people do not follow the basic guidelines of staying safe, such as wearing a mask, staying away from crowded areas, etc. This has made the fear of being open during quarantine extremely common to store owners, and so many had decided that when opening again, to do so in a very careful way. This has caused the safety of quarantine to improve, as these actions have made society more alert. Not only are they spreading awareness, but stores are also being more protective by using different safety equipment. These include plexi glasses, masks, hand sanitizer, and more. Some of the most critical, however, are the signs that are being used. Simple signs, such as alerting customers to wear a mask or to follow social distancing, have been a major factor to the health of our society. Although they are not something physical that can protect, they are mental notes for everyone to take in and go by.
Ellen Song, a jewelry retail store owner, talked about how she had been using some of her PPE, personal protective equipment, in order to ensure safety. “At first, I was scared,” Song said, talking about when the pandemic had first started. “The counter between me and the customer was not six feet, and so I had to close the business for three months. However, after investing in some PPE such as plexi glasses, hand sanitizer, and safety signs, I had felt more comfortable and decided to open.”
The fact retail business owners have found ways to keep their stores open while this outbreak is occurring just shows the commitment they have. Although there are big risks being taken, it will be worth it in the end if it means more people will begin to understand how serious of a situation we are currently in. As Song had said, in order to be able to even consider opening again, owners must take initiative by using protective equipment and posting safety notices. Not only will this help people who are not aware, but this will also help owners with the true hardships of owning a business. Soon enough, retail businesses will be back to normal, however for now, this is an amazing alternative.
