Eight employees at City Market in Breckenridge have tested positive for the coronavirus and an additional employee is waiting for results, public health officials said Wednesday.
The Summit County Public Health Department began investigating after it was notified April 22 that an employee had been infected, according to a news release. Health officials began working with the store to “immediately” discuss sanitation and cleaning procedures.
Health officials also tracked down individuals who were in close contact to the employee, and they were tested and required to self-isolate. Results were received on Monday and Tuesday.
“We are sorry to report this cluster of cases among these essential members of our local workforce,” Summit County Public Health Director Amy Wineland said in a news release. “We are working closely with them and the management at City Market to ensure they receive the appropriate care and that we contain this outbreak to minimize further spread of the disease.”
The department said it will continue to trace all close contacts to the employees who tested positive.
In response to the outbreak, the store closed early on Tuesday for a full-store sanitation, according to the public health department. Employees will be allowed to use the break room less frequently to maintain social distancing and there will be increased enforcement to ensure the store’s employees and customers wear face masks. More testing will also be made available for employees.
Before the outbreak, the store wiped down shopping carts and baskets, installed plexiglass partitions at checkout and increased its daily sanitation practices at cashier and self-checkouts, the release stated. Employees were required to take their temperatures during each shift and to wear a masks when they were in public and six feet of separation from others was not possible.
Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment and the Summit County Public Health Department did not recommend a store closure because of the protective measures implemented at the store.
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