An employee at the Safeway grocery store in Molalla has tested positive for Covid-19, the Canby Now Podcast has confirmed.
The employee has not worked at the Molalla store since May 6, according to Jill McGinnis, communications director for the Oregon/Washington region of Albertsons Companies, which owns Safeway. The store has been through multiple cycles of deep cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting since that day, she said.
“In an abundance of caution, we conducted a thorough cleaning, sanitizing and/or disinfecting with guidance from third-party sanitation experts,” McGinnis added in an email Monday.
Associates were informed of the positive test result on the same day that it was communicated to the company, she said. Due to HIPAA concerns, only employees who had been in close contact with the individual were made aware of their identity.
She said store associates have been reminded to wash their hands, disinfect check stands every hour and practice social distancing. They are also being directed to stay home and call their health care provider right away if they develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, including a cough or shortness of breath.
“Our thoughts are with the associate who tested positive and we hope for a full recovery,” McGinnis said.
During a visit to the store on West Main Street in Molalla Monday afternoon, all visible safety guidelines appeared to be being observed. Occupancy was being limited to 395, and there was a single point of entry.
All employees were wearing face coverings, in accordance with the latest requirements from the governor’s office, as were many patrons.
Molalla had seen 28 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of last Tuesday, according to the latest report from Oregon Health Authority, which is one fewer than neighboring Canby, but a higher rate of infection since it has a smaller population.
