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Auto service shops staying open despite low business due to coronavirus

If you need to have your car serviced, Woodie's Auto Service on Tryon Street is staying open, taking every precaution to make sure cars and workers are sanitized.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s a lot quieter at the Woodie’s Auto Service on Tryon Street since most of their customers aren’t on the road.

“We go from doing 25-30 cars and having to reschedule customers for other days, to doing five," said Randy Jackson, manager of the Woodie’s on Tryon Street.

For the customers they do have, Jackson says they’re doing anything and everything they can to protect themselves and the customer’s car.

“The last thing I need is one of my customers or one of my crew members getting sick, everyone knows this is pretty serious,” Jackson said.

Jackson says the precautions start as soon as they get the keys.

“We’re Lysoling every single set of keys, we’ll have them put it through a little window,” Jackson said, “We’re spraying them down, flipping them over, spraying them down.”

In the lobby, a plexiglass barrier separates people from the workers.

“Mainly from coughing and stuff of that nature, that’s been an issue believe it or not," Jackson said.

Then they disinfect the car and anything they touch.

“The steering wheel, seats, even the seat belts, the gear stick, anything we touch or in our parameter, we wipe it all down before and after,” Jackson said.

If a worker gets sick Jackson says they have to go.

"Immediately, 100%,” Jackson said, “If they get sick they are going home, 14-day quarantine."

Still, even with the lower volume and risk, Jackson says he plans to stay open especially for the essential people who may need them.

“If someone’s a first responder that’s working for the hospital, somebody that we actually need as a society right now, and their car breaks down,” Jackson said, “Well if there’s nobody like us open to get that car going again, what do they do? That’s the main reason that we’re here.”

Jackson says he plans to keep the shop fully staffed for the point when they do get back to having normal business again.

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