23 Employees of the Midtown Detroit Whole Foods Market Grocery Store Test Positive for COVID-19 | Eater Detroit

"I learned that a COVID-19 outbreak at the Whole Foods Market on Mack Avenue in Midtown Detroit involved at least 23 employees; the shop, which employs 196 people, closed within an hour after anonymous sources said about three quarters of the employees working Tuesday evening tested positive via rapid tests. The store has since reopened, but all other employees were offered rapid tests by the city’s department of health and employees who tested positive will not be allowed to work until they produce a negative test result. A company spokesperson confirmed the early closing was due to positive test results and noted that a number of employees at the Midtown store have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began last March. The company said it addresses confirmed diagnoses with a comprehensive action plan that includes enhanced cleaning, contact tracing, and direct communication with team members, that it supports any team member diagnosed or placed in quarantine so they can prioritize their health and stay home, and that it has rolled out extensive measures and is following guidance from local health and food safety authorities. According to the corporate website, the Mack Avenue location limits capacity, prioritizes customers 60 years and older, high-risk individuals, and people with disabilities on Friday mornings, and requires staff and customers to wear masks inside the store." - Beth McKibben