The Vicksburg Mall Tuesday, in a letter to tenants and employees, laid out the facilities response posed by the COVID-19 virus.

In the letter, the mall said it was “closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak, in particular the potential impact within our local community. There is nothing more important than maintaining a safe environment, and we will be taking all necessary precautions for the well-being of our entire shopping center community.”

The mall also stated that effective Tuesday, the shopping center would move its operating hours to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“We remain committed to supporting the operations of our retailers,” the letter says. “We recognize that retailers and the theater may implement their own corporate policies regarding modified hours or temporary store closures.”

Also Tuesday, Belk announced it would be closing all of its stores through March 30.

“Based on the guidance issued by the CDC regarding large gatherings and for the safety of our communities, all Belk stores will be temporarily closed to customers beginning 6 p.m. March 17 through March 30,” the company said on Twitter. “You can continue to shop any time at Belk.com and our mobile app. Thanks for your understanding.”

The mall also announced all events had been canceled, including all common area events, outdoor events and activities until further notice.

The letter also lays out what steps the mall is taking to ensure the health and safety of tenants, employees and customers.

• Increase the frequency of cleaning highly touchable areas throughout the property using a strong disinfectant known to eradicate viruses. Disinfecting high traffic areas within the center.

• And, if a confirmed case of COVID-19 is discovered at the shopping center, the mall’s plan is to alert the community and “work with local, state and federal health officials to ensure an appropriate plan is in place to help diminish the spread of the virus.”