Apr 5, 2020 2 min read

Only if you are 80 and older can you fully understand the contagious coronavirus today and why we are restricted from so many activities outside the home. While it is all for our safety, young and old, I cannot help wondering if our merchants and workplaces are giving any consideration to making needed changes for employees, customers, and products they sell. Allow me to recommend a few.

Employees: Will there be a demanding time off for the first sign of a cold or cough instead of working and handling our groceries, change and bags (after using their hand to sneeze/cough in)? Will management consider a full-time custodian to man the employee/public restroom? Will a custodian be hired, with the duties, to clean every cart after every use before restocking for the next user? Will every merchant change their entry/exit door to be automatic to operate?

Customers: Will the grating salt and pepper shaker, at the table, be replaced with bagged items? Will seats and tables be cleaned before the next customer uses them? Will employees be free of sniffles and coughs who wait on tables or checkout? Will the entrance/exit door be automatic to operate? Can we go back to full service at the gas pumps, eliminating the need for the driver to pump his own gas and wash windows?

Products: Can we have more fruits, vegetables, and baked goods, be put in sealed wrappings? And those making pizza, sandwiches, etc., use gloves and not have the duty to answer phone calls, do a checkout or handle the soda fountain?

Hands-on, in many ways, has been dangerous but ignored. It is now time to clean up our public places for safer shopping and eating.

Joann Diesel

Houston