Moving companies taking extra precautions due to COVID-19

Albemarle County, Va. (WVIR) - While coronavirus has shaken almost every sector of the economy, one thing hasn’t stopped entirely: people moving. That has led moving companies to take extra precautions to keep customers and their staff safe during the pandemic.

Milo Vivaldi, owner of Milo the Mover in Albemarle County, say that while business is down, the pandemic has created some unexpected opportunities. Some have taken jobs helping families move loved ones out of assisted living facilities due to health concerns.

“We’ve had to actually do some last minute almost emergency type of moves to get them out and back into their homes with their with their loved ones,” Vivaldi said.

Vivaldi says his company is taking several safety steps due to COVID-19. For example, the moving blankets that would have been commonplace in a move before might not be part of your move at all, if you move in the next few months. Milo the Mover is offering to use completely disposable wrapping products, like shrinkwrap and furniture wrapping paper, to limit potential exposure. If a customer would still prefer to use moving blankets, the company is using added sanitation methods to ensure the blankets are disinfected between moves.

Masks are also mandatory on every job. However, that poses a potential health risk to workers as the weather gets warmer, something the company is monitoring closely.

“Once temperatures hit a certain threshold, it’s not realistic to have somebody wearing a mask,” Vivaldi explained. "It’s going to be more, not just a hindrance, but a health hazard for that worker.”

After a move-in is complete, the company wipes down and disnifects everything, as an additional precaution. While business has been lower than a typical year, it has also been the slow season for movers. Vivaldi says they expect business to pick up in the summer months, and are already seeing an increase in calls.

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