A North Texas Food Bank employee tested positive for COVID-19 and reported the test confirmation to the food bank Sunday evening, according to a Tuesday morning press release.
The employee worked at the Plano location, and had contact with a limited number of people, the North Texas Food Bank spokesperson Anna Kurian pointed out.
“The health and safety of our employees and the community that we service is our top priority,” North Texas Food Bank CEO Trisha Cunningham said in a prepared statement. “Our food bank team is a family. We are praying for this team member and wishing them a speedy recovery.”
Local Profile contacted Kurian to find out exactly how many people were possibly exposed and when the employee first started showing symptoms. She reiterated that the employee was last on site at the Plano location on March 27, and has been quarantined since then.
“Luckily, as a driver, this food banker had limited interaction with other colleagues; those that were exposed are currently self-quarantined per CDC guidelines,” Kurian said.
North Texas Food Bank indicated that it was following all provided CDC recommended guidelines and still remains open and fully operational to help people in need of food. Some of the procedures implemented include:
- The facilities team consistently sanitizes surfaces such as in break rooms, door handles and other high touch spaces.
- All teams that work the production floor are asked to regularly wash their hands and practice social distancing.
- Employees and members of the Texas National Guard will have their temperature screened prior to starting their work.
- All personnel will be required to wear face masks when in the same work space as others.
- Hand sanitizer is available and in use across the production floor and sanitization kits are available to the food bank’s external facing staff, including drivers.
- The Food Bank has shifted their distribution method to a drive-thru model to limit contact between staff and the public.
For more information about COVID-19 and what to do if you’re possibly exposed, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html
