Williams Learning Retailers Plans

State Representative Ryan Williams said retailers are finding new ways to protect both customers and workers.

Williams recently participated in a conference call with national retailers.

“I think one of the biggest concerns they had was overall customer safety and employees, and how do they practically operate,” Williams said. “We’ve seen in our own community some nimble action by some of our retailers by installing plastic or shields of some kind to separate the customer from their employees.”

Williams said retailers are hoping directions coming from public officials are sustainable for the future.

“One of the things they said is that what they want to make sure of is that whatever decisions we make are good practices going forward,” Williams said.

Listening to the different business collaborate, Williams said, was a high point in the meeting.

“They were sharing practices with one another,” Williams said. “Quite frankly, they were talking about some of the challenges they were having getting PPE, masks, gloves, and things like that.”

Williams said he believes if people continue to take precautions, businesses can safely operate.

“If everyone acts like they are a carrier in all that they do the chances of staving this off and having a resurgence is really good,” Williams said. “We don’t want to have a resurgence, and the best way to do that is maintaining the idea of social distancing, washing your hands, and covering your mouth and coughing into your sleeve.”

Williams said it is important to remember that not everything will be reopening at the same time.

“This is an incremental phase in,” Williams said. “There’s going to be certain things we’re going to want to open sooner rather than later. Ultimately, the whole idea or concept is based on public safety.”

Governor Bill Lee announced his guidelines Friday to reopen restaurants on Monday followed by retailers on Wednesday of next week.