Stop & Shop has special hours just for seniors during COVID-19 outbreak

All Stop & Shop stores, including 60 across New Jersey, will open for a special 90-minute span each day to service only customers who are age 60 and older the company announced March 16.

Starting Thursday, March 19, the special time span will run 6 until 7:30 a.m. daily, according to a press release from the company, which also said: "We’re making the decision to offer this every day of the week to allow for community members in this age category to shop in a less crowded environment, which better enables social distancing. They’ll also be shopping prior to any other customers entering."

The company also said added cleaning and sanitation efforts will continue throughout the day at all stores.

"Although we will not be requesting ID for entry, we ask that you please respect the purpose of the early opening," the company said. "Store associates do reserve the right to ask customers to leave if they are not a member of this age group."

Stop & Shop said its home delivery service remains available, though there might be delays due to "unprecedented demand." Among options, customers can place an order with a new “contact-free” delivery option.

Whole Foods and its parent company, Amazon, also said Monday that it was "working to expand capacity to service more Prime Members with free, two-hour grocery delivery and door drop service from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market in more than 2,000 cities and towns." Prime Now deliveries operate in similar fashion, with no contact needed between the delivery person and a customer receiving groceries.

Earlier Monday, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop announced via Twitter that the city was coordinating with local grocery stores for shopping hours specifically meant for customers at high risk amid COVID-19, including but not limited to those 60 years and older.

ShopRite and Wegmans reps did not immediately return messages Monday as to whether those grocery chains would consider similar, special shopping hours for those considered at high risk for symptoms of COVID-19.

Wegmans said in a written statement online that the company has "increased the frequency of cleaning and sanitation in our stores, distribution centers, and offices," while also adding additional hand sanitizer stations, restricted the use of reusable cups to the self-serve coffee bar, only, and "increased signage providing reusable bag cleaning instructions."

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