GALLS® CORONAVIRUS SAFETY FAQS

Dear Valued Customer,
At Galls, the safety and security of our customers is of the utmost importance to us. We are monitoring the global outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) very closely and making decisions to limit the risk of exposure to the virus. We are relying on the Center for Disease Control’s recommendations regarding the coronavirus to ensure that our operations and service to our customers remain safe and efficient. Many customers have reached out to us with important questions about the coronavirus, and we would like to share our responses to those questions with you. Please see the common questions and our answers on the matter below, but do not hesitate to reach out to us with further questions. As always, you can reach us at 800.477.7766 or at galls.com.

Thank you,
Mike Fadden, CEO

ARE YOUR FACILITIES OPEN FOR BUSINESS?
As of today, all Galls branches and distribution centers are open. We expect that we will be allowed to remain open due to the essential service that we provide to the public safety community. Some stores will be operating on a modified schedule. Please see below.

CHANGE IN HOURS & CLOSURES FIND A STORE

DOES GALLS HAVE A GENERAL SUPPLY STATEMENT REFERENCING PRODUCTS AND INSPECTIONS?
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) at the Center for Disease Control, has stated, “In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very, very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures.” Galls is relying on statements from the CDC and is following its normal inspection protocol for products imported from China until the CDC suggests otherwise.

CAN THE VIRUS BE TRANSMITTED FROM PRODUCTS IMPORTED FROM ASIA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD?
Dr. Messonnier further stated, "There's no evidence to support transmission of the virus via imported goods." This is consistent with guidance from the World Health Organization stating that, “Even though the new coronavirus can stay on surfaces for a few hours or up to several says (depending on the type of surface), it is very unlikely that the virus will persist on the surface after being moved, traveled, and exposed to different conditions and temperatures.”

IF THE VIRUS SURVIVES ON SURFACES FOR ONLY A MATTER OF DAYS, HOW LONG IS THE OCEAN VOYAGE FROM ASIA TO THE UNITED STATES?
It generally takes thirty or more days for a container ship to make the voyage from ports in Asia to the U.S.

ARE PRODUCTS BEING EXAMINED AT THE U.S. PORT?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection may physically check shipments coming from China as part of their authority to audit containers, however, they are taking no specific action related to the outbreak. According to an interview with Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the CDC, “There’s no evidence to support transmission of the virus via imported goods.”

DO YOU ANTICIPATE RUNNING OUT OF PRODUCTS WE PURCHASE FROM YOU?
We have a robust, diversified supply chain to ensure we can meet your needs. The majority of our supply chain originates from U.S. domestic suppliers and countries other than China in regions that have not been significantly affected by coronavirus. Regarding our Chinese suppliers, some Chinese factories delayed opening after Chinese New Year, but all are now running above 60-percent capacity. If customer demand suddenly increases, our ability to supply 100 percent of our products might temporarily decline. We may experience some product delays over the next couple of months, however we anticipate that our supply chain will be back to normal by July/August of this year.

CAN THE VIRUS LIVE ON SOFT GOODS?
Because the COVID-19 is new, we have more to learn, but we believe that the virus can live on soft goods for a period of time that could be 24 hours or more.

WHAT CLEANING PROTOCOLS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED FOR SOFT GOODS?
CDC guidance on laundering of clothing is the following:

• Wear disposable gloves when handling dirty laundry from an ill person and then discard after each use. If using reusable gloves, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other household purposes. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
• If no gloves are used when handling dirty laundry, be sure to wash hands afterwards.
• If possible, do not shake dirty laundry. This will minimize the possibility of dispersing virus through the air.
• Launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely. Dirty laundry from an ill person can be washed with other people’s items.
• Clean and disinfect clothes hampers according to guidance above for surfaces. If possible, consider placing a bag liner that is either disposable (can be thrown away) or can be laundered.