By Joshua Huff, sports editor
BIRMINGHAM — Though Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced this past Friday the closure of all non-essential businesses statewide along with a ban on work-related gatherings of 10 people or more, the few “essential” retail stores that remain open have seen an influx of customers as the coronavirus pandemic limits what people can and cannot do.
The problem that continues to arise is that people are flocking to “essential” stores to purchase “non-essential” items.
Home Depot, a home-improvement giant, has announced that it would keep its doors open during the crises as “homeowners and businesses depend on us for urgent needs such as hot water heaters, refrigerators, cleaning supplies, electrical and plumbing repairs, and harsh weather items like tarps, propane and batteries.”
Granted, maintaining your home is vital during this time when most people are confined to their residence, but more of these businesses are welcoming customers who come not to buy the essentials, but to stand in line for paint, purchase wood or to set up an appointment to install flooring.
Workers and customers alike are taking to Home Depot’s Facebook page to bemoan the fact that some people are taking the time away from work to do tasks around the house. Those tasks are then forcing people to break their quarantine and head out to local stores to shop, even after the federal and local governments have advised people to stay to themselves and avoid others.
“Long lines in Home Depot because they just can admit 100 customers at the same time in the store due to corona, but they are all together in a long line all day,” Robert Soto posted on the company’s Facebook page. “It doesn’t make sense.”
That was evident at the Home Depot at Riverchase Galleria on Sunday. The paint department was packed with customers. The tight, narrow aisles were full of people shopping for drills, picking out lawnmowers and loading up on lumber. Granted, the store had six-foot markers at the checkout lines, but those were in the middle of the main walkway, which defeated the purpose as customers had to navigate themselves and large carts past a steady flow of fellow humans.
“Home Depot isn’t doing anything about COVID-19 besides closing early,” Dane Livelsberger added. “No hand sanitizer available and no urge for social distancing. Home Depot you are a disgrace to your employees and customers.”
The company posted a statement this past Friday stating its intention to remain open and at the same time provide employees and workers a safe environment.
“We’re promoting social and physical distancing in our stores and distribution centers, which includes stores limiting the number of customers inside at any given time,” Home Depot said. “In addition to training our associates on social distancing, we’ve placed distancing markers at some of our checkout counters and are making overhead announcements on our store PA systems asking customers to practice physical distancing.”
Yet despite Home Depot’s best intentions, people continue to flaunt the guidelines and orders and put others at risk. That has been noticed by local officials.
“Sad to post that I am hearing reports about stores that are open across House District 44 that are not enforcing social-distancing and that too many people are not voluntarily social-distancing,” Representative Danny Garrett, Alabama State Representative – Alabama House District 044, posted on Facebook. “COVID-19 is highly contagious and everyone should take it seriously. No one — of any age or health condition — knows how their body will respond to the virus. Please be smart and considerate of others.”