Walmart Customers Can't Believe Video of Woman Coughing and Spitting on Cashier

Daniel S. Levine

04/05/2020 05:08 pm EDT

A viral video showing a Walmart customer spitting and coughing on a cashier in Yreka, California has shocked social media, as millions of Americans have tried to be extra cautious around others during the coronavirus pandemic. The video, filmed on March 26, showed a customer getting angry over her bill and at one point getting in the cashier's face and spitting. More recently, stores across the country have installed plexiglass barriers at cash registers to avoid such a thing ever happening again.

The clip shows a woman getting into an argument with Walmart employees and even threatening to call 911. At one point, the employee moves her cart out of the lane to allow other customers to purchase their items. This does not stop the woman from hanging around. She coughed and spit in the employee's face, forcing the store to call police.

In recent days, stores across the country have been taking unprecedented steps to protect customers and employees. Walmart, Sam's Club, Publix, Winn-Dixie and other stores began installing plexiglass windows as "sneeze-guards" to separate employees from customers when they pay, notes the Orlando Sentinel.

'Change Her with Bio-Terrorism'

Just this weekend, Walmart put in a policy to keep stores at only 20 percent of normal capacity. Only five people per 1,000 square feet will be allowed into a store at a time. The stores have also put in one-way arrows for customers to follow during shopping. The policy has resulted in long lines outside stores, with employees using markers to keep customers six feet apart.

'Enough of This BS'

"While many of our customers have been following the advice of the medical community regarding social distancing and safety, we have been concerned to still see some behaviors in our stores that put undue risk on our people," Walmart said in a statement last week. "We want to encourage customers to bring the fewest number of people per family necessary to shop, allow for space with other customers while shopping, and practice social distancing while waiting in lines. We're also seeing states and municipalities set varying policies regarding crowd control – which has created some confusion regarding shopping. To promote health, safety and consistency for our associates and customers in this environment, we're taking some further steps for our U.S. stores."

'What Is Wrong With People?'

As the pandemic has worn on, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continued updating its guidelines. The CDC is now recommending all Americans wear cloth face covers in public because some patients with the coronavirus might have it without showing symptoms. The agency is still advising people to stay six feet away from another to help slow the spread of the virus.

'That's Battery'

"That's battery. A case might even be made for aggravated battery under the circumstances," one person wrote on Facebook.

"This kind of behavior is never ok, send her to jail," another wrote. "Send a message out that behaving in this manner especially in a time like this that there will be consequences for their actions."

'That Will Cause all the Stores to Close'

"This woman is absolutely out of control definitely jail considering the circumstances," another wrote.

"And its people like that, that will cause all the stores to close," another added.

'People are Messed up'

"What is wrong with people, that person needs to go to jail, for spitting and coughing on the cashier," one Faceobok user wrote.

"People are messed up!! They should be put in jail," one person wrote, adding an angry emoji.

Photo credit: Jeremy Hogan / Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

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