CVS Health is staffing up and paying out bonuses as shoppers flock to its stores amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The company is paying bonuses of $150 to $500 to hourly workers including pharmacists, store associates, managers, and other hourly workers, the company said Monday. CVS said it plans to hire 50,000 workers.

CVS operates more than 9,900 pharmacies around the US, which have found themselves on the frontlines of the response to the coronavirus pandemic. On March 19 it opened up its first COVID-19 testing center in the parking lot of one of its pharmacies in Massachusetts.

"As they continue to be there for the individuals and families we serve, we're taking extra steps to provide some peace of mind and help them navigate these uncertain times," CVS CEO Larry Merlo said in a news release Monday. CVS Health CEO Larry Merlo. Reuters

Other retailers are staffing up too, as Americans stock up on groceries and other essentials. Walmart said it'd pay hourly employees a bonus of up to $300 and hire on 150,000 workers. Walgreens is paying a $300 bonus to full-time hourly workers and $150 to part time hourly employees as it hires for an additional 9,500 roles. Kroger, Amazon, and other "essential businesses" are hiring on thousands amid the pandemic, too.

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CVS is also providing child- and elder-care benefits through Bright Horizons, the company said Monday. That gives employees up to 25 days of care in the wake of school closures that might otherwise keep employees home.

Part-time employees now have up to 24 hours of sick leave, effective Monday, CVS said.

That's in addition to 14 days of paid leave for anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 or is quarantined after potential exposure. The additional benefits and hiring come shortly after employees launched a petition calling for better support during the pandemic, including sick leave, family care, crisis pay, and protective gear like face masks.

CVS said Monday that it has been "prioritizing distribution of protective gear to the hardest-hit areas."

CVS said it plans to fill 50,000 full-time, part-time, and temporary roles "immediately." That'll be for positions like delivery drivers, store associates, roles in its distribution centers, as well as customer service roles.

Among those hired, the company said, will be furloughed workers from hotel chains Hilton and Marriott.