Spokane Valley Walmart is temporarily closing for cleaning

August 20, 2021 12:36 pm

Posted on August 20, 2021 12:36 PM

Updated: August 20, 2021 12:37 p.m.

Charles Krupa

FILE – In this November 18, 2020 file photo, a woman wearing a protective face mask due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak rolls a cart with her purchases from a Walmart store in Derry, NH Walmart, the largest in the world in May 2021 that vaccinated shoppers or workers in its U.S. stores will not have to wear a mask unless state or local law says otherwise. Vaccinated buyers can go maskless immediately, the company said. Vaccinated workers can stop wearing them on May 18.

SPOKANE VALLEY, Washington – The Spokane Valley Walmart is temporarily closing for cleaning and customers will have to shop elsewhere for a few days.

Walmart said it will be located at 5025 E. Sprague Ave. temporarily close on Friday, August 20, from 2 p.m.

The company said it will also close on Saturday and reopen at 6 a.m. on Sunday, August 22nd. The closure will also give employees time to replenish shelves and prepare for the store to reopen.

“As a major company and a member of the Spokane Valley community, we understand the role we play in providing our customers with food, medicine and other essential items, especially during this time,” the company said in a statement.

With the increase in COVID-19 cases across the country, Walmart said it wanted to help health officials working against the pandemic. Because of this, they are closing the Spokane Valley store to clean it up.

“Everything we do is for the benefit of our employees and the thousands of customers we serve every day, and in accordance with the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and health professionals,” they said. “With the increase in positive cases from the Delta variant, we will be following CDC guidelines that include fully vaccinated individuals wearing masks in indoor public spaces in districts with significant or high transmission.”

Mask-based counties require employees to wear masks in facilities including stores, clubs, sales and fulfillment centers.

When the store reopens on Sunday, Walmart will continue to conduct employee health assessments and all unvaccinated employees will continue to wear face covers.

“In addition to offering COVID-19 vaccines to customers through walk-in or online appointments, we also offer employees easy access to vaccines. Employees can get their vaccinations at their home pharmacy 24/7, ”they said.

If employees want to get vaccinated elsewhere, the company grants two hours of paid vacation. Those who receive the vaccine will receive a $ 150 bonus and up to three days of paid vacation in the event they experience an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

“These protocols and convenient access to vaccinations compliment the extensive measures we took during the pandemic to protect our employees and customers,” they said. “We will continue to work closely with elected and local health authorities to tailor our service to the community while maintaining the health and safety of our customers and employees.”

Learn more about Walmart’s response to COVID here.