Coronavirus: Texas grocery chain installs sneeze guards for cashiers

It is now common to see customers wearing masks and gloves while shopping at a store. The coronavirus outbreak has heightened health awareness, and a Texas grocery chain is making sure its employees are also safe.

To protect cashiers from customers who could be ill, H-E-B has installed sneeze guards at its checkout counters, KTRK reported.

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The sneeze guards -- pieces of clear plastic that separate customers and checkers -- were first installed in the Houston stores, but H-E-B officials said they plan to install them in all of their stores, KVUE reported. They were added in Corpus Christi on Friday, KRIS-TV reported.

"We wanted to make sure that we protect, not only our customers, but our H-E-B partners as well,” H-E-B regional spokeswoman Regina Garcia told the television station.

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In addition to the sneeze guards, H-E-B has placed social-distancing markers in checkout lanes, KRIS reported. That encourages shoppers to stay three to six feet away from one another.

H-E-B officials said it has also designated a COVID-19 manager at each store, who will be responsible for sanitizing the store twice a day, KTRK reported.

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