At a time when New Yorkers are facing rows of empty store shelves and product shortages, the grocery store chain Stop & Shop will soon offer special shopping hours for older customers in order to help some of the people most vulnerable to the new coronavirus.

Starting this Thursday, Stop & Shop will open its doors from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. for customers aged 60 and older. Though they won’t require I.D. for entry during these hours, the company said in a statement it will "reserve the right to ask customers to leave if they are not a member of this age group." Seniors, particularly those with underlying conditions, are more susceptible to coronavirus.

The chain says most of its stores have adjusted their hours to be open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. as of Monday. That cuts more than two hours off the closing times of most New York City locations.

Stop & Shop runs more than 20 stores in New York City.

The company announced it will change the hours of operation in all stores to give staff time to clean and re-stock. The chain also stressed they will be cleaning shelves and checkouts more frequently, and following CDC guidelines regarding hygiene.

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