Walmart continues to temporarily close, shorten store hours as omicron variant spreads
Closures are a 'proactive measure, based on market-specific data'
Walmart continues to temporarily close and adjust hours at stores nationwide as coronavirus case numbers rise.
The U.S. is considered to be at risk of "high levels of community transmission" as the omicron variant drives a new surge of infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Earlier this week, Walmart temporarily closed a store in central Delaware in order to ensure a safe store environment, according to FOX 29. Meanwhile, multiple Walmart stores in the Baton Rouge metro area of Louisiana have also shortened hours, according to WAFB 9.
This file photo shows the entrance to a Walmart in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File / AP Newsroom)
At the end of December, stores in Texas, Wisconsin, New Jersey and other states temporarily shut their doors to allow crews to clean and sanitize.
A Walmart spokesperson told FOX Business Wednesday that Walmart and Sam’s Club, which is also owned and operated by Walmart Inc., have been temporarily closing certain locations since the beginning of the pandemic.
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"This is a proactive measure, based on market-specific data and is intended to present a safe in-store environment for our associates and customers," the spokesperson said. "These temporary closures are made on a store-by-store basis and take a day and a half to carry out."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMT | WALMART INC. | 87.19 | +0.59 | +0.69% |
Similarly, the company has been adjusting operating hours "as needed, to maintain the safety of our customers and associates," the spokesperson added.
The company declined to give specifics on the number of stores affected and their locations.
FOX Business' Emmett Jones contributed to this report.