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Publix Employee Among the Rising COVID-19 Cases

by Anne Geggis July 12, 2020

by Anne Geggis July 12, 2020 33 views

Publix

By Anne Geggis

The Publix at Lakeview Center is the latest supermarket to tell employees there that one of their fellow associates is among the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Florida

Employees at the supermarket, located at 1400 Coral Ridge Drive, were told Saturday that those employees who worked directly with the infected person would be on a period of self-quarantine as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We feel that transparency in this emerging public health situation is of utmost importance in order to ensure the health and safety of all Publix associates, your families, and our customers,” the notice reads.

Employers are not obligated to tell their staff when a positive case is found among the workers, but Publix has chosen to do so, in the interest of transparency.

Reported cases hit an all-time high since the crisis began over the disease for which the only defense is avoiding the infected. The State Department of Health reported 15,300 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the Florida total to 269,811 people infected.

Publix officials could not be reached Sunday for further comment, or to explain how the employees would know if they had been in contact with the infected person if he or she is not being identified.

“It is our current understand that you were not in direct contact with the affected associate; thus, we believe your risk of exposure is low,” the notice reads. Those who think they were in contact with this unidentified case should reach out to his or her manager, according to the notice.

These same notices have happened several times at Publix stores all over South Florida.

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Anne Geggis

Anne Geggis has been a newspaper reporter for 30 years, most recently at the Sun Sentinel. She graduated from St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt., with a double major in journalism and sociology.