Coronavirus forces Costco to cut weekday store hours
Stores will close at 6:30 p.m.; gas stations at 7 p.m.
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Costco is curbing store hours beginning next week because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 30, all U.S. clubs will close 6:30 p.m. and gas stations will close at 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday, the company announced in a Facebook post.
However, clubs and gas stations will operate on their normal schedules during the weekend, the company said.
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The decision to cut hours mirrors actions by other retailers across the county who are working to reduce the spread of the rapidly spreading virus.
Since the outbreak, scores of retailers have reduced their hours to give employees more time to sanitize and restock shelves before the following shopping day.
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Meanwhile, some retailers have temporarily closed or shifted operations online and curbside pick up only as the pandemic continues to spread around the world.
The cut in hours comes just after the bulk retailer designated an hour every Tuesday and Thursday morning for people who are more vulnerable to having complications from the virus, like seniors or those with chronic conditions.
To date, the virus has infected more than 550,000 people worldwide, with the United States leading the world in the number of confirmed cases. Globally, over 24,000 people have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.