Amazon employee in Macon tests positive for coronavirus, company says
A Macon-based Amazon employee has tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to a company statement given to the Telegraph on Sunday.
The individual works at the 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center at Sardis Church and Skipper roads in Macon.
“We are supporting the individual who is recovering. We are following guidelines from health officials and medical experts, and are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site. You can read more about all we’re doing to protect employees and partners here.”
The company recently announced that it would hire more than 200 employees at the South Macon facility due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Amazon is asking its employees who had close contact with the worker to not return to the building and quarantine for at least 14 days. Those workers will be paid during the quarantine.
Amazon said it will institute the following preventative measures:
- Increase the frequency and intensity of cleaning at all sites.
- Regular sanitization of all door handles, stairway handrails, elevator buttons, lockers and touch screens.
- No stand-up meetings during shifts.
- Moving chairs and spreading out tables in break rooms.
- Shift start times and break times are being staggered to promote social distancing.
- Enabled a temporary cellphone process for those who need to be in contact with their families or childcare providers.
- Training will take place in small formats and with in-app training tools and other equipment.
- Adjusted attendance policies to allow those who are feeling sick to stay home.
- Requiring employees to sanitize and clean their work stations and vehicles at the start and end of every shift with disinfectant/cleaning wipes.
- Asked workers to defer non-essential travel.
- Moved to video-based interviews for the majority of our candidate interviews.