WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee is reinstating its reserved shopping hour for customers considered “high risk” for COVID-19, the company said Monday. The move is in response to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases throughout the retailer’s eight-state operating region.

The reserved hour will be offered at all Hy-Vee locations from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., Monday through Friday, and is set aside just for these customers:

• People age 60 and older
• Expectant mothers
• People with underlying health conditions that make them more susceptible to serious illness.

“As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the areas we serve, we believe it’s necessary to bring back this special hour to best serve customers who are at a higher risk of serious illness,” the company said in a statement, adding that Hy-Vee will take all measures necessary to keep its customers and employees safe.

The retailer said it is asking its other customers to respect the dedicated hour and to do their own shopping at other times of the day.