An Employee Has Tested Positive for COVID-19. Here is Everything You Need to Know.

To Our Community,

Yesterday, February 9th, we learned an employee in our Co-op Kitchen tested positive for COVID-19. The last time the employee worked in the Kitchen was on Friday, February 5th. The employee completed the routine daily testing upon entering the location that day and did not note or exhibit any unusual temperature or other symptoms at that time. The employee was masked and gloved throughout that day.

Here is how we are responding:

Upon notification by the employee, we immediately contacted the VT Department of Health for the latest guidance.

We were advised to first identify any individuals who may have come into close contact with that employee on Friday. Close contact is defined by the VT Department of Health as 15 minutes of being within 5-6 feet of an individual in a 24 hour period.

Five employees were initially identified as having been in close contact with this employee. Those employees were notified that they were required to quarantine for 14 days and what steps they needed to take while in quarantine. We were also advised by the VT Department of Health that the employee working on February 5th would not have any negative impact on any of the products produced by the Kitchen.

We have since learned that an additional three employees have been identified as having come into close contact with this employee. As a result, and out of an abundance of caution for our employees’ safety, we have made the decision to close this location until Tuesday, February 16th, at which time we will be resuming regular operations.

This closure will have some effect on the availability of some of our regular products. However, we are confident that we will be able to continue to provide many of our products in our four retail store locations.

To learn more about all the steps we are taking in response to COVID-19, please see our website, coopfoodstore.coop. You may also feel free to contact me anytime. I welcome any comments and questions.

My thanks to all of our members and shoppers for the continued support. Know that we will get through this, just as we have gotten through everything else. In the meantime, remember to be kind to one another and to yourselves, and we look forward to serving you in our stores and at the curbside.

Onward and upward,

Thanks,

Paul

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Paul Guidone

Paul Guidone, CFA, spent the better part of four decades in the investment management business here and abroad. He held positions ranging from analyst through Deputy Chairman and Group CEO, at organizations such as Citigroup (US) and The HSBC Group (London and Hong Kong). He joined the Co-op in 2016 as the CFO and in 2018 became Strategic Advisor to the General Manager. Paul was appointed by the Co-op Board as interim General Manager in March 2020 and General Manager in September 2020. To contact, email PGuidone@coopfoodstore.com.

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