Stores reserve hours for at-risk shoppers

Albertsons and Safeway grocery stores are reserving special shopping hours for those at high risk of the COVID-19 virus, such as senior citizens, pregnant women or people with compromised immune systems.

Albertsons in Kalispell and Safeway in Whitefish are participating in this initiative. The stores have reserved every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 to 9 a.m. for at-risk shoppers.

“We are sensitive to the fact that everyone wants to make sure they have the items they need, and we also know that everyone wants their neighbors to stay safe and healthy, too,” Vivek Sankaran, Albertsons president, said in a media release. “We are asking our customers to respect these special hours for those who are most at risk in our communities.”

Target stores are also reserving the first hour of shopping each Wednesday at stores nationwide for vulnerable customers. Starting this week, Target stores will close at 9 p.m. to allow employees to clean their facilities and stock shelves.

Walmart stores nationwide scaled back its hours to 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. to allow for cleaning and restocking. Similarly, Walgreens locations nationwide reduced hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., until further notice.