ST. CLAIRSVILLE – In an effort to help decrease the spread of the coronavirus, many local retailers are asking customers to don a facial covering prior to entering their stores.

Walmart announced via social media that beginning today, all customers must wear a facial covering. This applies to all Walmart locations across the nation, including at the Ohio Valley Plaza in St. Clairsville.

“To best serve our communities and protect the health and safety of our shoppers and associates, face coverings will be required in all stores beginning Monday, July 20,” the St. Clairsville Walmart said via Facebook.

The store will have posted signage on the exterior alerting customers to the new policy, and only a single entrance will be open to help ensure “consistency with this new process.”

The announcement includes Walmart’s affiliate store Sam’s Club, which will also implement the policy beginning today. The announcement states that store employees will be stationed at the entrance to ensure customers are aware of the mask policy. The store will provide complimentary masks to those who need one.

Other retailers are starting to follow suit due to an increase in coronavirus cases and recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kroger grocery store announced it also will require customers to wear a mask. An unnamed employee of the St. Clairsville store confirmed via phone that beginning Wednesday, customers entering the store must don a facial covering.

According to forbes.com, the following are among other major retailers that now require customers to wear masks or will do so in the near future: Target, Starbucks, Walgreen’s, Best Buy, CVS, Kohl’s, American Eagle, Verizon and Lowe’s.