How do you know COVID cases are on the rise? A Miami-Dade Walmart is temporarily closed
If the long lines at testing sites aren’t enough of a clue that COVID cases are up, seeing your neighborhood Walmart Supercenter shut down for sanitation is another indicator.
The Walmart Supercenter store in Northwest Miami-Dade is temporarily closing for a specialized scrubbing amid rising COVID-19 cases in South Florida.
The big box store at 5851 NW 177th St. will be closed from 2 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Friday as part of a company-initiated program to help keep customers and employees safe.
Temporary closures of businesses, schools and government buildings for extra cleanings became familiar sights during the pandemic last year. The shutdowns came after an increase of confirmed or suspected COVID cases in people who visit or work there.
When asked why this particular store was closing for a deep cleaning, a Walmart spokesman said it was a proactive decision the company made after reviewing a set of criteria it uses to analyze its stores and the community.
Walmart said the temporary closing will give the company the opportunity to have a crew thoroughly clean and sanitize the building and give workers time to restock shelves.
“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 and health experts,” Walmart said in a statement. “Given the rise in positive cases through the delta variant, we will follow CDC guidance, which includes fully vaccinated people wearing masks in public indoor settings in counties with substantial or high transmission.”
The CDC lists Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties as having high COVID-19 transmission.
As of Wednesday, no other Walmart store in South Florida is expected to close for cleaning and sanitation in the coming days. But the company said it will continue to monitor and evaluate its stores on a case-by-case basis.
To find a Walmart store near you, visit walmart.com/store/finder.
This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 2:29 PM.
