Some businesses are shutting down until further notice, but for grocery stores in Connecticut that is not an option as people continue to stockpile food.

Stew Leonard's in Norwallk is taking extra precautions to make sure its nearly 500 employees and customers stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Customers walking into Stew Leonard's are immediately greeted by hand sanitizer so they can wipe down baskets and carts.

Store director Nicole Weiss says this week's rush of people feels like the week before Christmas. She says the staff is working hard to make sure products are on the shelves.

Weiss says every two hours they are cleaning registers, pens and scales. The cashiers are also required to wear gloves and change them often.

Employees are allowed to stay home if they feel nervous about coming to the store.

Weiss says there are still no cleaning wipes or hand sanitizer because the shipments are on delay.

"We're trying everything we can to not have run outs on product we can control here in the store," says Weiss. "Fresh products we are on top of. We shut down the buffett bar, so we put it all in packaged containers. Same thing with the olive bar. We want our customers to feel safe when they are here shopping."

Stew Leonards will open a half hour earlier Thursday at 6:30 a.m. for the elderly and immunocompromised.