Black Friday Shoppers Go Out Amidst Pandemic

WAAY-31's Casey Albritton discusses the impact that COVID has had upon Black Friday shopping.

To nearly 243-thousand!

Meanwhile - the c-d-c warns "shopping in crowded stores just before, on or after thanksgiving" is a high-risk activity amid the pandemic.

But that didn't stop shoppers here in north alabama.

Waay 31's casey albritton joins us live from bridget street with how holiday shopping has gone so far.

Casey?

Take a look around me-- shoppers are filling bridge street right now--many of them telling me they decided as long as they wear masks and are careful, black friday shopping is well worth any risks.

Haley buie/ bridge street "the way the year has gone, everyone was kind of worried that the holiday season might not be here at all, so just the fact that it's still here and still going on and people are still happy and excited is very great to see."

Haley buie works with bridge street management--and says after a year like 2020, there's nothing better than seeing people maintain the black friday shopping tradition.

Haley buie/ bridge street "it has been a busy black friday!."

With hundreds of people coming out to shop, precautions are in place.

Haley buie/ bridge street "we have a lot of six-foot spaced-out lines outside of the stores and they are slowly letting people in one group at a time as another person exits, they are also sanitizing and requiring masks."

Shoppers say they haven't noticed any issues with people behaving in ways that violate cdc recommendation s about coronavirus.

Lydia king/ shopper "i feel like everybody has been good about it.

There's a lot of different check outs you can go to."

Bennie walker/ shopper "even with the guidelines and social distancing, shopping has been going pretty good."

And as the year comes to an end-- customers say shopping for their loved ones gives them a sense of normalcy and hope.

Lydia king/ shopper "it feels good.

I've been waiting on it for a long time."

Bennie walker/ shopper "it feels amazing to get out of the house and getting a fresh air, you know.

Getting out and shopping until i drop."

Buie says these precautions will be enforced in stores