Woolworths

South African retailer Woolworths. Image: via Twitter @NARI_SSA

Woolworths in Gardens Centre closed after staff member tests positive

Gardens Centre management said Woolworths will reopen for trade once it’s safe to do so. The safety of staff and customers are no-doubt a priority.

Woolworths

South African retailer Woolworths. Image: via Twitter @NARI_SSA

Woolworths in Gardens Centre in Cape Town has been temporarily closed after one of its staff members tested positive for COVID-19. 

Melvina Walters from Gardens Centre management said on Tuesday 5 May: “It has come to our attention that a Woolworth’s staff member tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and the store has been temporarily closed.” 

WOOLWORTHS CLOSED FOR DEEP CLEAN 

Centre management said the store is closed for forensic deep cleaning by specialists. All staff who have been in direct contact with the employee have also been placed in self-quarantine for 14 days. 

“This procedure is guided by the approach of the Department of Health and National Institute from Communicable Diseases. The [Woolworths] store will reopen for trade once it is safe to do so,” the statement read. 

“The health and safety of everyone visiting and working at the centre remains our primary focus as we fight the COVID-19 pandemic together. We have remained diligent in our cleaning processes and through our service providers, we have placed additional focus on key public areas such as hard surfaces, equipment and bathrooms throughout the centre,” it added. 

“We encourage our customers to continue to practice good personal hand, sneeze and cough hygiene, as it is key to preventing the spread of COVID-19,” it said. 

SUPERMARKETS PROVE TO BE COVID-19 HOTSPOT 

On 25 April — about 10 days ago — Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said grocery shops were proving to be a fertile breeding ground for COVID-19.

This came after over 200 supermarket workers tested positive for the virus, now it includes Woolworths. Three shops closed temporarily after each having an employee test positive for COVID-19. The affected stores were in Kuils River near Cape Town, Somerset West and one in the Zevenwacht area.

The Shoprite Group also said, just last week, that 17 of its Western Cape stores had been hit by COVID-19.

Supermarkets have had to remain open during the lockdown as an essential service. The Western Cape health department has issued out protocols for store managers to follow in case an employee tests positive for COVID-19. The infected person is required to self-isolate, while everyone who has been in contact with them needs to be quarantined.

The next step is to suspend all activities in the workplace, while surfaces are disinfected. Woolworths seems to be following protocol.