COVID

Worcester Walmart temporarily shutters after 23 employees test positive for coronavirus

City officials said the store will remain closed until it has been professionally cleaned by a third-party specialist and approved by the local health department.

A line forms outside of the Walmart in Quincy on April 4 as the store implements new restrictions on capacity. A Walmart Supercenter in Worcester was ordered closed by that city on Wednesday. Blake Nissen/ For The Boston Globe

By Ainslie Cromar

2 minutes to read

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A Walmart Supercenter in Worcester was ordered closed by the city on Wednesday after 23 employees tested positive with the novel coronavirus. 

The Worcester Department of Public Health conducted an inspection of the store, located on 25 Tobias Boland Way, and found that staff and customers have not been wearing proper personal protective equipment, according to a daily update to the public.  

City officials said the store will remain closed until it has been professionally cleaned by a third-party specialist, sanitized, and re-inspected by the local health department. 

Initially, the store posted on Facebook saying it would close Thursday for “a day of deep cleaning and sanitizing,” but planned to open its doors again by Friday. Now, Worcester officials said every store employee must be tested for COVID-19 before they can return to work. 

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When the store does reopen, Worcester’s medical director will conduct all employees’ COVID-19 testing, confirm the results, and then determine whether an employee is eligible to return to work. 

“All patrons and employees shall be required to wear face masks while in the store and employees returning to work shall also wear protective gloves,” city officials added in the update. 

In a statement, Walmart said they’re working with local officials to ensure they take all the necessary precautions before reopening business. 

“It’s important to note that, while there may have been recently confirmed associate cases tied to the store, most of those associates have not been to work in the store the last several days,” the company said. “Separately, the nature of the virus makes it nearly impossible to track a source, which is why — as an essential businesses — we are taking proactive measures in our stores to help protect our associates and customers as best as we can.”

Walmart added that the company will continue to monitor other locations in the Boston area, making similar decisions to close for a day to undergo additional cleaning and restocking as necessary. 

 

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