by Kenna Eaton, General Manager

Recently the CDC changed their guidelines on how often to clean and disinfect a facility such as our store (for the details, check out the link at the end of this article). The good news is that research on how COVID-19 is spread indicates that in most situations the risk of infection from touching a surface is low. The most reliable way to prevent infection from surfaces is to regularly wash hands or use hand sanitizer. So, with that in mind, the Co-op will be making a few operational changes beginning May 2nd or possibly sooner, depending on our ability.

But before I jump into telling you about those changes, I do want to ask everyone to refrain from asking our staff whether or not they have been vaccinated. And please note, we have asked our staff not to quiz you either. We all mean well, but vaccination status is a private medical issue protected by HIPPA, so we are asking everyone to hold back on those personal questions.

North Entrance: While we will still offer wipes and spray sanitizer at the front door for grocery carts and baskets, we will no longer be assigning a staff person to do that work. This means we will be asking you, as shoppers and members, to sanitize (if you wish) your own cart or basket before use. And as part of this change, we will be taking away the cones, signs, and ropes, and eliminating the “clean/dirty” rows. You can help us by bringing your cart back into the store after you use it, just like you used to do. We will continue to spray sanitizer a few times per day, as time allows, and at the end of our workday.

Elsewhere in the store: Our bulk room will no longer be staffed all hours we are open. Instead, we have new signage saying the room is open and asking everyone to follow the directions we are now accustomed to: leave your cart outside, wash your hands, and maintain social distancing. We will no longer offer clean/dirty pen, scoop, and tong jars; we will go back to how we used to do it—offering those items, and then cleaning them as needed throughout the day.

Other operational changes are likely when we are ready. However, we will continue to do a deep sanitation nightly, and we still ask everyone to wash hands often. Lastly, please continue to wear your masks, even after being vaccinated, at least until we hear differently from our county health department. Many thanks for helping keep your co-op safe and healthy!

CDC information link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html#anchor_1617548426741