Giant Food Worker In Dundalk Tests Positive For Coronavirus

DUNDALK, MD — A Giant Food employee at a store in Dundalk has tested positive for the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, WJZ reported Sunday. Areas of the store that could have been affected by the employee were cleaned and disinfected, according to the report.

The employee has not worked at the store since March 13. Giant required the employee and other employees who were working with them to self-quarantine. All of those required to self-quarantine will receive sick pay during their period of recovery and quarantine.

"Although the associate has not worked since March 13th, we took the precaution of requiring this associate, as well as additional associates that were working with the affected individual, to quarantine themselves," Giant said in a statement emailed to Patch. "We have taken appropriate actions to keep our associates and our customers safe, moving quickly to notify health authorities and to notify associates who may have been in close contact with the associate who was diagnosed.

Grocery store employees are among the essential employees working on the front lines during the coronavirus crisis. On Sunday, Maryland reported it had 3,609 cases of coronavirus, an increase of 484 cases from Saturday. Of the patients, 936 have been hospitalized. Sixty-seven people in Maryland have reportedly died from the coronavirus.

In Washington, D.C., an employee of a Giant in the Columbia Heights neighborhood tested positive for the coronavirus last week, and three other employees of the store have been quarantined as a result, according to the union that represents thousands of grocery store employees in the D.C. region. The Columbia Heights employee who tested positive had not worked at the store since March 19, according to a report.

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Two weeks ago, a Trader Joe's grocery store in Elkdridge was closed for cleaning and re-stocking after an employee recently at work is suspected of having the coronavirus. The grocery chain posted the news on its website saying that an employee who was in the store is being treated for what doctors believe is the COVID-19 respiratory disease.

After the positive test of an employee at its Dundalk store, Giant Food officials said they are working closely with local health authorities to ensure its stores are doing everything possible to protect the health and safety of its employees and customers while keeping its stores open and accessible.

"Over the last several weeks, we have put in place additional measures to ensure the safety of our associates and customers, including plexiglass shields at our registers, pharmacies, and customer service desks," Giant said. "We have installed social distancing signage in our stores to remind and encourage our customers to stay 6 feet apart from each other, and we have increased our cleaning and sanitation procedures on high-touch areas throughout the store."

The location of the Giant Food store is 1400 Merritt Blvd. in Dundalk.

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