Shoppers line up for Black Friday deals despite Covid with retailers beefing up security to enforce social distancing
SHOPPERS have risked exposing themselves to coronavirus in hopes of scoring Black Friday deals as brick-and-mortar retailers anticipate much-needed business after months of lagging sales due to the pandemic.
American shoppers appeared to ignore social distancing rules as images taken around the country showed dozens of people - some without masks - waiting for stores to let them in early Friday morning.
Black Friday typically marks the start of the US holiday shopping season with steep discounts that pay off in significant profit for the businesses offering them.
Even as health officials around the globe encouraged people to stay home and shop online, Walmart offered incentives just for shoppers who came into its stores.
It appears that other shoppers shared a similar mindset - although hundreds lined up at stores, the pandemic has thinned out the typically chaotic crowds at most US businesses.
A surge in online shopping could give struggling retailers a boost after months of slumping sales and businesses on the brink of bankruptcy.
But 55 percent of consumers surveyed said that Black Friday sales feel less special this year due to early promotions ahead of the event.
As of Friday, more than 12.9 million Americans have been infected with coronavirus.
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More than 263,500 people have died from Covid-related illnesses since the start of the pandemic in March.
The country is averaging more than 1,650 deaths per day, according to data from .