Harris Teeter, Safeway adopting social distancing measures

WASHINGTON - Plexiglass, markers indicating how much distance you should keep from others, hand sanitizer stands – shoppers in the District, Maryland and Virginia are rapidly becoming accustomed to changes in their neighborhood supermarkets.

The DMV region is taking steps to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the United States – and the world.

As of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Harris Teeter joined the growing list of companies by limiting the number of customers in stores at one time.

The company says it will be limiting customers to 50 percent of the building code capacity as part of its own effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Safeway says it’s also changing the way it handles customers.

The supermarket chain is introducing several new precautionary measures at its stores in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

In a statement to FOX 5, the store says it is planning to place directional arrows on the floor to promote one-way foot traffic through stores, including up and down aisles.

Those arrows will supplement decals that are already on the floor marking six-foot spaces a checkout – and areas that form lines like the deli, the bakery and the meat department.

Giant, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Target and Lowe’s are also monitoring the number of customers who are in the store at any one time.