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LAPLACE — Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of the LaPlace Winn-Dixie, announced all stores will designate the hour of 8 to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday, for seniors and other customers with a higher risk of infection during the COVID-19 response.

The local Winn-Dixie store is following these guidelines to promote the health and safety of vulnerable residents. The pharmacy will open at 8 a.m. on weekdays to provide prescription refills, influenza and pneumonia vaccines and customer counseling. Additionally, the store will close nightly at 8 p.m. to allow associates time to restock shelves and conduct sanitation procedures.

Other grocery stores in the area have announced their own policies to assist seniors in social distancing while obtaining needed food items.

Walmart Shopping Center

Walmart officials said employees at neighborhood locations in St. John the Baptist Parish and across the country have been “nothing short of heroic” in their efforts to quickly restock shelves and provide a clean environment for customers during this challenging time.

St. John the Baptist Parish seniors are invited to special hopping hours from 6 to 7 a.m. every Tuesday from March 24 to April 28. Pharmacies and vision centers will also be open during this time.

Stores across the country, including the LaPlace Walmart, are serving all customers from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Store associates will continue to have access to their regularly scheduled shifts and full hours to restock shelves, clean and sanitize the store.

In a press release, Walmart announced stores will have limits for customers on items including paper products, milk, eggs, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, water, diapers, wipes, formula and baby food.
Auto care centers will be temporarily shut down so associates may focus on other areas of need.

Dollar General

With approximately 75 percent of the American population located within five miles of a Dollar General, the company feels a responsibility to remain open and in stock for all customers.

“We believe that our customers are relying on Dollar General now more than ever to provide them with their everyday essentials, including food, cleaning supplies, paper products, over-the-counter medicines, hygiene products, baby items and more,” the company said in a press release.

Dollar General strongly encourages customers who can wait an hour to shop to allow the most vulnerable members of the community to shop in the first hour stores are open. Dollar General stores on the East and West banks of St. John the Baptist Parish open at 8 a.m. Please note that reserving 8 to 9 a.m. for senior shopping is recommended but not required or enforced.

Although stores will open at normal hours, Dollar General will continue closing an hour early for the time being to allow employees to clean stores, restock shelves and care for their own well-being. In an effort to ensure all customers have the products they need, Dollar General suggests limit on paper products, hand sanitizer and wipes to three per customer.

What to Buy

Harvard Health Publishing recommends keeping a supply of nonperishable food in stock, as these items can come in handy in other types of emergencies such as hurricanes and power outages.

Nonperishables include: canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and soups; frozen fruits, vegetables, and meat; protein or fruit bars; dry cereal, oatmeal, or granola; peanut butter or nuts; pasta, bread, rice, and other grains; canned beans; chicken broth, canned tomatoes and jarred pasta sauce; oil for cooking; flour; sugar; crackers; coffee, tea, shelf-stable milk and canned juices; canned or jarred baby food and formula; pet food; and bottled water.

Harvard Health also recommends purchasing household supplies such as laundry detergent, dish soap and household cleaner.