Walmart has announced that the retail giant will temporarily close its Richardson store location on Friday.
According to Walmart, the 1501 Buckingham Road location will close at 2 p.m. as part of a company-initiated program to allow third party cleaning crews to clean and sanitize the building.
The location will remain closed through Jan. 8 to provide store associates time to restock shelves and prep the store, Walmart said.
The Richardson location will reopen on Jan. 9 at 6 a.m.
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In a statement, the company didn't say specifically why this store was selected for cleaning, nor would they confirm if the store was being cleaned due a high number of employees being positive for COVID-19. No other North Texas Walmart locations are expected to be closed and sanitized, according to a company representative.
Walmart said the corporation understands the role it plays in providing customers in the Richardson community with food, medicine, and other essential items, especially at this time.
"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 officials said in a statement. "We will follow CDC guidance, which includes fully vaccinated people wearing masks in public indoor settings in counties with substantial or high transmission."
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According to Walmart, in these high transmission counties and where there are state or local mask mandates, associates will be required to wear masks inside the facilities, including stores, clubs, distribution centers and fulfillment centers.
When the store reopens Sunday, Walmart will continue conducting associate health assessments, and all unvaccinated associates must still wear face coverings, the corporation said.
Walmart said the store is offering offering COVID-19 vaccines to customers through walk-in or online appointments as well as easy access to vaccines for associates.
Associates can receive their vaccinations at their home store pharmacy, on or off the clock, Walmart said. They will receive two hours of paid leave to receive their vaccination and up to three days paid leave if they experience an adverse reaction.
Walmart announced on Friday that another store location in Texarkana would close on Friday at 2 p.m. as part of the same company-initiated cleaning program.
A Walmart location in Uptown Dallas was previously closed from Dec. 30 to Dec. 31 to be cleaned and sanitized. The Dallas Neighborhood Market location, located at 2305 North US 75-Central Expressway, reopened on Jan. 1.
