By Jane Han
Staff Reporter

With the number of H1N1 infected patients snowballing daily, local retailers are on their toes to make sure that the thousands of customers walking in and out of their stores don't catch or spread the highly-contagious virus.

But for some the giant shopping establishments, taking precautions against the flu means a whole new way of doing everyday business.

For example, Lotte Mart, the country's leading hypermarket chain, requires all employees nationwide to have their body temperature monitored every morning, before interacting with customers.

And once the day begins, those working in the ready-to-eat food stands must wear a mask and latex gloves to prevent any potential virus transmission.

Even more extensive measures to safeguard the public have been adopted by Lotte's rival, Shinsegae E-Mart.

In addition to Lotte Mart's plan, Shinsegae E-Mart employees must disinfect all shopping carts, hand rails on stairways and store shelves at double the frequency of normal days.

"We need to do everything we can to prevent an outbreak happening in any of our stores," said an E-Mart spokeswoman, adding that the company will ramp up efforts even more should the Influenza A virus continue to spread rapidly.

More than 3,300 South Koreans have been infected with the H1N1 virus so far, according to government estimates.

In department stores, precautionary efforts are more geared toward improving customers' personal hygiene.

Hyundai, Shinsegae, Galleria and Lotte department stores have all set up hand sanitizer pumps in restrooms to enable shoppers to disinfect their hands frequently.

Galleria Department Store has even made available a thermometer in select locations to allow customers to check their body temperature during shopping.

"The flu hasn't pushed down sales yet, but there is a lot of fear that the fast-spreading virus will dampen consumer sentiment," said a Hyundai official, who explained that even the smallest signs of danger can easily deter shoppers.

Industry experts say that a continued spread of the flu virus can be a boon for online retailers, as more and more consumers may choose to shop in the comfort and safety of their home instead of getting exposed to risks.

Top Internet retail sites reported earlier this week a sudden spike in sales of items related to personal hygiene, but have yet to see a marked rise in sales of other goods.

jhan@koreatimes.co.kr