LAKELAND — Starting Saturday, May 16, Publix stores expanded store hours. Publix stores are now open daily from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., and pharmacy has returned to normal operating hours.

Designated shopping hours for customers over the age of 65, first responders and health care workers are being discontinued; however, Publix encourages customers who prefer to shop when the store is less crowded to come in during the 7 a.m. hour.

Each store will continue to support social distancing and the well-being of our associates and customers by conducting additional cleaning and preventive sanitation before and after store hours, including:

• sanitizing high-touch surfaces frequently throughout the day,

• requiring associates to wear face coverings and allowing associates to wear disposable, non-latex gloves where not prohibited by OSHA regulations,
• encouraging 6-foot separation through regular intercom announcements,
• signage and floor decals and one-way shopping aisles,
• having plexiglass shields at all registers, pharmacies and customer service counters,
• promoting contactless pay, and,
• allowing store managers to limit the number of customers inside stores.

Customers are also encouraged to wear masks when shopping to help protect the store associates and other customers. According to the Centers for Disease Control, many of those who have COVID-19 and could be contagious may have no symptoms. The virus is primarily spread in the droplets of moisture that leave the mouth and nose when a person coughs, sneezes or talks. Cloth masks catch these droplets, helping to prevent the spread of the virus.