On Thursday, December 31, we learned that a staff member tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). We immediately closed the store. We will re-open the store once we are able to determine that it poses no risk to the community. We are in the process of contacting all employees.
The employee worked on Tuesday, December 29th. We want to be sensitive to their identity, so we are not disclosing any further information at this time. Our main concern right now is the wellness of this employee, other employees, and our community at large.
We are following all recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We have been in contact with the Maryland Department of Health. A cleaning company is coming to disinfect per Maryland Department of Health recommendations. We will update you as soon as we have more information. We are going to have all employees tested for COVID-19 out of an abundance of caution and care for our staff. We will support the staff as they self-quarantine pending test results. TPSS Co-op has a generous paid time off policy. We are working with employees on a case-by-case basis to ensure they have the support they need.
The store will reopen once we have sufficient staff with negative test results. Based on current turnaround, we anticipate the store being closed through Sunday 1/3/21 and potentially Monday 1/4/21. We will provide more information as it is available. For now, keep our staff in your thoughts and we appreciate your support.