The DeRidder Walmart Supercenter will remain temporarily closed today, Aug. 18, as corporate officials say a deep cleaning and sanitizing of the store will continue until tomorrow morning.
The DeRidder location was closed by Walmart officials Tuesday afternoon as part of a company-initiated program to allow a third party cleaning crew to thoroughly clean and sanitize the building, while simultaneously allowing employees time to restock shelves and prepare the store for its reopening at 6 a.m. Thursday, according to Walmart spokesperson Tyler Thomason.
“As an essential business and a member of the DeRidder community, we understand the role we play in providing our customers with food, medicine and other essential items, especially at this time,” Thomason said in a public statement released Tuesday.
The closure and deep sanitizing and cleaning comes as the state sees a renewed increase in Covid-19 cases, especially in Beauregard Parish. Thomason said the DeRidder location was selected by corporate officials to be closed and cleaned in an effort to assist health officials working against the pandemic.
Thomason also said the store’s policy will remain in accordance with that of the CDC, and will ask people visiting the store, including those fully vaccinated against Covid-19, to wear a mask while shopping.
In January, a similar closure and deep cleaning was performed at the Leesville Walmart after a spike in Covid cases in Vernon Parish had been traced back to the store.