LYNNWOOD, Wash. — As businesses and communities move into Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee's "Safe Start" plan to reopening Washington state, plastic stores are working to meet the demand for sneeze guards.
“We’re all grateful to be working, but in some ways, it’s just been absolute non-stop,” said Ben Winslow, the manager for TAP Plastic’s Lynnwood location.
TAP Plastics in Lynnwood has seen sales skyrocket. Winslow says the store is working around the clock to fill orders, which right now are taking between two and three weeks.
“Now we’re having dental companies, eye doctors, doctors, food people. We’re getting calls all the way down from Fife, up to Blaine. We’ve had some inquiries from the east side of the state. So pretty much everywhere,” Winslow said.
Winslow said his location has sold a year’s worth of product in just a month-and-a-half.
For many businesses, a sneeze guard is required in order to move into Phase 2 if the business cannot separate people by 6 feet. A sneeze guard is a piece of plastic that is used to block airborne illnesses such as the coronavirus. The plastic guards we first used at checkout station for many businesses that remained open, like grocery stores and pharmacies.
“I’ve dealt with more Costco’s than I knew existed,” Winslow said.
Winslow said he doesn’t see things slowing down anytime soon and said there is concern the store could run out of material. His staff is working with businesses to get creative, by filling orders with less popular plastic materials such as thinner pieces or something that can hang from the ceiling.
He’s confident the store will be able to meet the surge in demand.
“It’s just a matter of making sure that everybody realizes we’re trying to help them but we might have to go with an option different that what they wanted,” Winslow said.