An Amazon warehouse worker in Queens, New York, has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The facility is temporarily shut down while it is disinfected.
The case is the first involving one of Amazon’s U.S.-based warehouse workers, according to The Atlantic. Two office employees in Seattle have reportedly contracted the virus, as well.
Amazon, in a statement to The Atlantic, addressed the case in Queens.
“We are supporting the individual who is now in quarantine,” a spokesperson said. “In addition to our enhanced daily deep cleaning, we’ve temporarily closed the Queens delivery station for additional sanitation and have sent associates home with full pay.”
Amazon said last week that all employees diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed in quarantine would receive two weeks of sick pay, The Atlantic said. Amazon also gave hourly workers unlimited unpaid time off through the end of March.
CNBC noted Amazon said it has taken additional precautions at warehouses to protect workers.
“We have implemented proactive measures to protect employees including increased cleaning at all facilities, maintaining social distance, and adding distance between drivers and customers when making deliveries,” the spokesperson said.
Amazon had announced on Monday it would hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the U.S. to handle the surge of online orders as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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