Walmart stores are temporarily changing their hours in wake of the novel coronavirus 2019.

Stores, including those at Butler Commons in Butler Township and Route 19 in Cranberry Township, will no longer be open 24 hours.

Beginning at 11 p.m. Sunday, all Walmarts will close and reopen at 6 a.m. Monday. Thereafter, stores will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. until further notice, according to Dacona Smith, Walmart's executive vice president and chief operating officer. He said the move will help ensure the company is able to keep up with consumers' demand by stocking products, and also to clean and sanitize stores.

"I don't think any of us have been through an experience like this,” Smith said in a statement released Saturday, “and we continue to be amazed at what our people, whether in the stores or in the supply chain, are doing to make sure customers have what they need.”

All employees will continue their current shifts, he noted, and the supply chain and trucking fleet will continue to move products and deliver to stores on their regular schedules.

“As a reminder,” Smith said, “we have a temporary COVID-19 emergency leave policy to support associates at this unprecedented time.”

For more information of this and other regional cancellations, postponements and updates related to COVID-19, please make sure to check our Butler Eagle website and follow us on Facebook.