Costco to keep coronavirus senior hours indefinitely after planning to reduce them
Wholesale chain will maintain its special operating hours at five days a week
Days after Costco Wholesale announced it would be reducing its special operating hours for seniors and immunocompromised shoppers to two days a week, the retailer decided to keep the measure at five days a week due to a surge in coronavirus cases.
The policy change was made to the company's Updates and Coronavirus Response webpage on Thursday.
Seniors who are age 60 or older as well as those who are disabled or have underlying health conditions may shop from 9 to 10 a.m. on Monday through Friday. These hours are reserved exclusively for Costco members who meet the company's qualifications. Guests will not be admitted.
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Costco did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP. | 955.65 | +27.57 | +2.97% |
The current number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. reached more than 3.2 million Sunday afternoon while the number of deaths reached more than 135,025 and recoveries reached more than 995,575, according to data from the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard.
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Costco's senior hours differ in several cities, including Los Angeles, Culver City and the Bay Area in California; Honolulu, Hawaii; Teterboro, New Jersey; and Brooklyn, Staten Island and Westbury in New York. Massachusetts and Oregon are the only two states that are included on the exceptions list.
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Priority access for health care workers and first responders will also be in effect, which allows this essential workforce to shop at Costco warehouses during all open hours so long as they are members and have an "official identification of their role."
Massachusetts is the only state that prohibits first responders from shopping during Costco's special operating hours.
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Face coverings are required for all Costco members. There is an exception for individuals who are unable to wear a face covering due to a medical condition in addition to children under the age of two.