More coronavirus cases reported at 24 South Florida grocery stores, including Publix
As Florida surpasses 30,000 novel coronavirus cases and 1,000 deaths, Publix has confirmed to the Miami Herald 20 more stores have had confirmed cases, while Trader Joe’s reports cases at three stores and Whole Foods Marketplace at one store.
Other major grocery retailers haven’t been transparent on how the virus is affecting their workers.
The 20 additional Publix stores are located throughout South Florida. From West Palm Beach to Hollywood to Brickell to Coral Springs, since the coronavirus pandemic began the Herald has confirmed 30 Publix stores in South Florida have had positive cases.
Of the 20 new stores, four had more than one worker test positive. Publix said that due to privacy laws, additional information about workers’ cases could not be released, such as when they had tested positive.
On Monday, Publix announced all of its employees will be required to wear facial coverings, except those in the deli, meat and seafood departments. Since March, Publix’s position on personal protective equipment for workers has changed, going from management discouraging wearing gloves or masks to workers being supplied masks.
Publix also gives quarantine and paid leave for 14 days to any associate who has tested positive and those who have been in close contact with them.
Since the virus hit the state, Publix has done several acts of charity to help residents and farmers suffering from the effects of the pandemic.
On Wednesday, Publix announced a new initiative to purchase fresh produce and milk to help farmers impacted. The company is also donating products directly to Feeding America food banks.
“As a food retailer, we have the unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the needs of families and farmers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Publix CEO Todd Jones in a statement. “In this time of uncertainty, we are grateful to be able to help Florida’s produce farmers, southeastern dairies and families in our communities.”
Publix has also donated $2 million to Feeding America member food banks in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Also, for two months Publix is waiving rent as well as maintenance fees and taxes for shopping center tenants closed as nonessential businesses. This impacts 282 shopping centers.
Other grocery retailers in Florida also have confirmed cases.
Trader Joe’s told the Herald on Friday that three of its stores, in Delray Beach, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale, have had confirmed cases. The Miami Beach store has had three workers test positive and the other two stores had one case each.
“Upon notification of any possible exposure to the COVID-19 coronavirus in any of our stores, we are following and exceeding recommendations from the CDC and health officials,” Trader Joe’s said in a statement. “We recently began conducting additional, proactive cleanings of stores in some of the areas hardest hit by COVID-19.”
The company’s website says that crew members will be provided up to two weeks of additional paid sick time if they have any symptoms of illness.
In order to stave off further infection in the stores, Trader Joe’s has limited the number of people in each outlet, monitors and marks the distance between customers waiting in line outside and at checkout, has only every other register open and has suspended the use of reusable bags.
To protect workers, the grocery store has installed plexiglass barriers at registers and provides all workers with gloves, if workers want to use them.
These are practices that other grocery stores have also implemented, such as Publix and Whole Foods.
From April 15 to April 23, employees from a Whole Foods Marketplace in downtown Miami, 299 SE Third Ave., received text messages confirming four positive coronavirus cases at the store, according to store employees.
An employee at the downtown Miami store said one of the four positive cases was from an Amazon Prime shopper or driver.
“Your location has an additional confirmed case of COVID-19. Your safety and health is our top priority,” the messages read.
A spokesperson for Whole Foods told the Herald on Friday, “I can confirm that Team Members in our downtown Miami, Florida store have tested positive for COVID-19,” but would not say how many.
The Herald also confirmed that at least two workers at a Whole Foods Market in Fort Lauderdale have tested positive.
In a statement Whole Foods said, “The safety of our Team Members and customers is our top priority and we are diligently following all guidance from local health and food safety authorities. We’ve been working closely with our store Team Members, and are supporting the diagnosed Team Members, who are in quarantine.“
Whole Foods would not tell the Herald how many and which stores in South Florida had cases, but would confirm cases at specific stores. This is a policy Publix also follows.
All Whole Foods employees are being paid an additional $2 per hour on top of their current hourly rate through the month of April and receive double their regular hourly base pay for every overtime hour worked through May 3.
Those who have been placed into quarantine or diagnosed with COVID-19 will receive up to two additional weeks of paid time.
While Walmart would not tell the Herald where and how many employees have tested positive in Florida, the company did say less then 1% of its workforce have tested positive.
Walmart employs about 1.5 million people in the United States, according to its website, so that means fewer than 15,000 people have tested positive.
Aldi did not immediately respond to comment on how many positive employees they had in Florida.
Here are the Trader Joe’s stores the Herald has confirmed have positive cases:
▪ 1683 West Ave. in Miami Beach
▪ 1560 N Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale
▪ 1851 S Federal Highway #500 in Delray Beach
Here are the Publix stores the Herald has confirmed have positive cases:
▪ 9755 NW 41 St. in Doral
▪ 1538 S. Federal Highway in Delray Beach
▪ 14601 S. Dixie Highway near Palmetto Bay
▪ 5881 N. University Drive in Tamarac
▪ 9846 Glades Road in Boca Raton
▪ 134 SW 13th St. in Brickell
▪ 13005 SW 89th Place in Miami
▪ 11977 Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach
▪ 5365 Lyons Road in Coconut Creek
▪ 5950 Coral Ridge Drive in Coral Springs
▪ 6901 Taft St. in Hollywood
▪ 550 N Pine Island Road in Plantation
▪ 127 S. State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach
▪ 12425 Hagen Ranch Road in Boynton Beach
▪ 4567 Weston Road in Weston
▪ 926 S Military Trail in West Palm Beach
▪ 18280 SW 147th Ave. in Miami
▪ 106 Ponce De Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables
▪ 11750 SW 104th St. in Miami
▪ 9951 W Flagler S. in Miami
▪ 15000 Miami Lakes Drive in Miami Lakes
▪ 16130 Jog Road in Delray Beach
▪ 9050 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami Shores
▪ 9720 Clint Moore Road in Boca Raton
▪ 23300 SW 112th Ave. in Goulds
▪ 5407 Overseas Highway in Marathon in the Florida Keys
▪ 1100 Fifth St. in Miami Beach
▪ 9420 SW 56th St. in Sunset
▪ 20425 Old Cutler Road in Cutler Bay
▪ 911 SW First Ave. in Brickell
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 4:48 PM.
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