Grocery stores are one of the few places where people gather that are still open in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As restrictions tighten, so does monitoring at local markets.
"We have people in each of our stores. We call them the COVID Action Team," Mabrie Jackson of Central Market said via FaceTime. "They're responsible for the social distancing, making sure that all the carts are sanitized really well, answering all the questions."
Central Market has green decals on the floor, reminding customers what 6 feet apart looks like. It and Tom Thumb have protective shields at checkout registers, and at Trader Joe's, the entrance to the store is metered to limit the number of people inside stores at at given time.
"Don't go panic shopping," Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price warned on Tuesday. "There's plenty of goods, plenty of food. The grocery stores told us yesterday, people should come one family, one person at a time."
Central Market echoed that sentiment. They've had to change from a shop and linger philosophy to grab and go.
"Since we don't have those options right now for you to be able to sample all the goodness that we have at our stores, we just ask that you please come in, get what you need," Jackson said. "And then safely return home."
Central Market's parent company, H-E-B, announced Sunday, an employee at the location on Lovers Lane at Greenville Avenue in Dallas tested positive for COVID-19.
The employee, who did not work in a "customer facing or food handling" position, has not been in the store since Wednesday and is in self-quarantine at home, according to H-E-B.
Both before and after the employee's positive test, the store was sanitized thoroughly multiple times, the company said
