Pensacola, Fl

Walmart has begun monitoring and counting the number of customers in stores again due to the increase in coronavirus cases across the country,

The retail giant originally took steps in April to protect customers and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stores have begun to limit the number of customers who were inside stores by allowing no more than five customers per 1,000 square feet at a given time.

However, stores virtually stopped counting people as they arrived and left for a short period of time.

“We know from months of measuring data in our stores that the vast majority of the time our stores have not reached the 20% metering capacity we have imposed on ourselves,” a Walmart spokesperson said. “Out of extreme caution, we have resumed counting the number of people entering and leaving our stores.”

Also, in an effort to popularize customer visits for the holidays, Walmart splits its Black Friday in-store sales into three different events.