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What St. Louis area businesses are doing in response to coronavirus

Here is a breakdown of what public places are doing to keep customers safe

ST. LOUIS — Several businesses in the St. Louis area are taking special precautions to keep places clean and customers safe due to the threat of COVID-19.

Here is a breakdown of what public places are doing in response to the virus:

The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station is closed through March 31.

On March 16, the Saint Louis Zoo announced it is closing until further notice.

The Magic House said staff is increasing the intervals of cleaning procedures and have added additional hand sanitizer stations in the museum.

The Saint Louis Science Center will temporarily close to the public through March 31. 

RELATED: CDC awards $9.8 million to Missouri for coronavirus response

As a precaution, Metro Transit said it's enhancing cleaning and disinfecting procedures for MetroLink, MetroBus and Metro Call-A-Ride vehicles.

Gyms in the area are stepping up their cleaning game by stocking up on supplies and doing more frequent cleaning.

Club Fitness recently sent out an email to its customers saying its staff is “increasing the frequency of their cleaning efforts and providing extra quantities of cleaning products and sanitizer throughout their gyms.”

Gateway Region YMCA programs and services remain open to the community. Staff will be cleaning frequently touched surfaces more often, including doorknobs, exercise equipment, phones, banisters, handrails and other points of contact throughout the facility.

RELATED: St. Louis gyms stock up on sanitizers, offer membership extensions amid COVID-19 concerns

Skilled nursing facilities, assisted living homes and retirement communities are also working on ways to protect their residents, many of whom are most at risk.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is taking steps to limit the coronavirus exposure risks to its most susceptible patients.

Starting March 10 until further notice, all 134 VA nursing homes across the country will not allow any outside visitors to see residents.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis is forcing parishes to make changes to parts of Mass in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Archdiocese said parishioners must refrain from shaking hands during the sign of peace and stop distributing Holy Communion to parishioners via the chalice. Other changes include stopping the use of Holy Water fonts and more changes to the communion process.

RELATED: Archdiocese of St. Louis mandates churches stop using chalice, shaking hands at Mass

Sump Coffee announced it will no longer accept customers' reusable cups. The coffee spot said it is making efforts to sanitize the cafe and all common areas throughout the day.

Starbucks said it is considering transitioning some stores in the U.S. and Canada to drive-thru only while others may limit the number of people allowed inside.

HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum will close to the public at 4:30 p.m. on March 14 and remain closed through at least March 30.

AMC Theaters said they are limiting seat capacity in every auditorium. They will be capping ticket availability to 50% of the normal seating capacity for every show. 

AMC theater teams will also enhance cleaning protocols by cleaning frequently touched areas at lease once per hour.

Apple is closing all of its stores worldwide, except for those in Greater China, where cases have declined. The closures will last through March 27 so the stores can be deep cleaned and disinfected.

Grapevine Wines and Spirits in Kirkwood has curbside carry out. You can call the store with your order and credit card number and an employee will run it out to your car.

Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois are suspending service disconnections and forgiving late payment fees.

Crown Candy Kitchen will be shutting down at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, according to owner Andy Karandzieff. Its dining room will be closed for the foreseeable future. 

All of the shop's candy will be offered online through its website and will be offering curbside pickup for all of its food.

RELATED: List of things canceled in St. Louis area due to coronavirus concerns

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