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Walmart, Meijer, Target limit number of customers allowed inside stores at once

The latest on the coronavirus on April 4 on News 8 at 10 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — You’ll now be waiting in line just to get into some stores during normal businesses hours.

Target, Meijer and Walmart are putting limits on the number of people allowed in stores at once in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The majority of people News 8 spoke to said this was a great idea: They said fewer people in the store means fewer people to come in contact with.

Some Walmart stores in Indianapolis roped off the path leading to the front entrance, funneling shoppers through so they could keep count of how many people were going inside and coming out.

“It has gotten to this point right now,” Martin Hunt said. “It’s kind of crazy. People are still all bunched up together, so it doesn’t make a difference. I don’t know. It’s just kind of odd. It’s like it’s still not real yet for a lot of people.”

Walmart’s limit is five shoppers for every 1,000 square feet. One woman said there were at least 100 people inside the store she visited on Saturday. And not all of them were social distancing.

“Honestly, I think it’s going to be out of your control, out of our control, one of those sort of deals,” Brian Jones said.

At multiple Walmart stores around central Indiana, News 8 crews saw empty areas outside stores with no one waiting in line to get inside.

“People don’t go and do fun things like roller coasters because of lines,” Ze’ev Hernandez said. “You think they’re going to run out and get groceries?”

“Lines stop everyone,” Sam Schwartz said. “Lines are the ultimate quarantiner, honestly.”

But even beyond rope and store limits, people who are concerned say it’s other shoppers who have a responsibility to slow the spread.

“Some people are not taking this seriously,” Doris Scott said. “This is a very dangerous game that people playing. They’ve got to keep it safe out here. Whatever the governor says: If they say stay in the house, stay in the house. They are protecting us. It’s the reason they say stay in the house! Please stay in the house, people! We don’t want to be in there for 60 more days, in the house! Just listen. Please! I love you guys. Be safe.”

You can share your experience with grocery store limits here:

We want to know! As some businesses limit the number of people allowed in stores at once, did you have to wait in line…

Posted by WISH-TV on Saturday, April 4, 2020