LAKELAND, Fla. – A Lakeland Walmart will temporarily close Thursday as the store is sanitized due to increasing COVID-19 cases in the area, a spokesperson said.
The store at 5800 U.S. Highway 98 North will close at 2 p.m. and is scheduled to reopen at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8.
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In a statement, Walmart Corporate Affairs said that the closure is part of an ongoing company-initiated program to sanitize and restock stores in areas that see increases in positive COVID-19 cases.
“Everything we’re doing is for the well-being of our associates and the thousands of customers we serve daily, and in consideration of guidance by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and health experts,” a spokesperson said. “We will follow CDC guidance, which includes fully vaccinated people wearing masks in public indoor settings in counties with substantial or high transmission.”
When the Lakeland Walmart reopens Saturday morning, its employees will continue to undergo health assessments and “all unvaccinated associates must still wear face coverings,” the spokesperson said.
Walmart associates who get a COVID-19 vaccination will receive two hours of paid leave to do so, as well as up to three days of paid leave should they experience an adverse reaction to it, the spokesperson said.