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As an essential business and in the interest of public safety, H-E-B Partners wear masks and gloves while at work

(Updated 7/3) At H-E-B, our top priority is the health and safety of our Partners and customers.

The State of Texas requires customers to wear mask or facial covering while shopping in our stores. Additionally, with the approval of Governor Abbott, many local governments in Texas have issued ordinances that require businesses to adopt Health and Safety plans that require customers to wear masks. H-E-B will follow all local ordinances.

Currently, more than 85% of H-E-B stores operate in areas that have implemented local Health and Safety Plan ordinances that require people to wear masks or facial coverings in our stores. In these areas our stores see very strong compliance. In areas that do not have a local ordinance in place, H-E-B stores will require the use of masks or facial coverings. Exceptions are made for children and individuals with health-related issues.

H-E-B also requires the use of masks or facial coverings by all our Partners and vendors in customer facing and close contact positions.

The CDC, State of Texas, and local health officials strongly recommend the use of masks or facial coverings in public spaces as a proven way to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Throughout the COVID crisis, H-E-B has worked closely with the Governor and his staff and we appreciate the collaborative work and advocacy to help keep Texans safe.

As a proven way to slow the spread of the virus, mask use allows businesses to operate safely during the pandemic. Social distancing, wearing masks, proper hand washing, and sanitization are all things we do to help keep Texans healthy.

Considered an essential business to the public during this time, all H-E-B Partners are provided masks, an effort we started on Saturday, April 4. Gloves, which have been available to Partners, are also provided for use.

“As an essential service provider at this time, masks and gloves are just another safeguard we’ve implemented across our company to protect the health and safety of our Partners, customers and communities,” said Martin Otto, H-E-B chief operating officer. “We are here for all Texans and we take our role to protect public safety seriously.”

All Partners must continue to follow H-E-B’s strict hygiene and sanitation measures as well as proper social distancing protocols. Partners who wear masks must keep them clean and maintain our high standards for hygiene and sanitation while at work. Partners who wear gloves must continue to frequently wash their hands and apply hand sanitizer. Gloves must also be regularly changed and properly discarded after use.

Throughout this crisis, H-E-B has implemented a number of significant measures and has worked hard to educate our Partners and customers about the virus. We created a dedicated leader in every store, the COVID Action Manager, who is trained to ensure sanitation and social distancing procedures are properly followed. We have also installed plexiglass partitions at all checkstands, metered entry into stores, adopted crowd control guidelines to manage customer traffic, and placed floor decals to help identify proper social distance. Additionally, we conduct deep cleaning and sanitizing of stores and hard surfaces as well as fuel stations throughout the day, and utilize contactless home delivery to limit direct interaction. We require our Partners to stay home if they feel ill.

As we continue to monitor the spread of the pandemic, we are following guidance and advice from medical professionals and the CDC to make the best decisions regarding the health and safety of our Partners, customers and the communities we serve. For more about our COVID-19 efforts, visit H-E-B Newsroom at heb.com/newsroom.