25/05/2020

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In a statement released Saturday evening, A. L. Thompson announced that two of their employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Health Services Authority carried out COVID-19 tests for all A. L. Thompson’s staff on 14 May,  which was five days prior to the opening of the store to the public. As both employees were awaiting their test results, they hadn't been working at the store since it reopened.

“Since then, we have been serving you with a reduced work force because we permitted no staff members to return to the store until they received their negative results from the HSA. We have learned the results of approximately 95% of the tests,” it said.  Both members of staff “are asymptomatic, have not returned to work while awaiting their results, and have had no contact with the public at the store,” the statement said.

“We fully support them, and they will receive full pay and benefits during their mandatory isolation,” it said.

“We ordered temperature-detection monitors for both entrances of our George Town store and our Savannah store. We anticipate receiving and installing them in early June. All staff members who can work from home are doing so,” 

“We sanitize all shopping carts and baskets between customer use, and we insist that everyone applies hand sanitizer before entering the building. We insist that all staff and customers wear a face mask while they are inside the building. We installed social-distancing floor markers outside, at all checkout stations, and in high traffic areas throughout the store,” 

“Dean’s Cleaning Services is our third-party janitorial provider. We have increased their presence to perform cleaning and extra sanitation measures of high-traffic areas and common points of contact,” the statement added.