UPDATE: A spokesperson for Well.ca informed GuelphToday after the story was published that the deep clean and sanitization of the facility has been completed, and the distribution centre is operational again after working closely with Public Health officials and receiving their clearance.
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Guelph's Well.ca says it has temporarily closed its large Southgate Drive warehouse following an outbreak of COVID-19.
In a notice posted on its website Wednesday, which was also sent out to customers, the online health and beauty products distributor said a "small group" of employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and the warehouse has temporarily closed to conduct a thorough sanitation and deep cleaning.
The notice does not say how many employees have COVID-19 or when the outbreak was discovered.
Calls to the company were not immediately returned.
"In the spirit of transparency, we are writing to share that earlier this week, we were informed that a small group of employees tested positive for COVID-19. These are the first and to date only cases of COVID-19 at Well.ca. Since being contacted by the local health authority, these individuals have been in self-isolation. They will continue to do so until they receive appropriate medical clearance," said the notice.
"Our top priority remains the health and safety of our employees as they work to ensure you receive the important health and wellness products you need. Upon learning about the positive test results, we immediately initiated our COVID-19 response plan, that includes:
- Temporarily closing our warehouse to conduct a thorough sanitation and deep cleaning.
- Contacting local public health agencies and working in cooperation with them on next steps.
- Contacting all employees who worked with the individuals and offered appropriate support.
The company added that in May it started requiring employees to wear facemasks.
The company said it continues to operate and the website remains open, but there may be some delays.
The well.ca website says the company employs over 200 people across its Guelph and Toronto locations.
The Guelph location is a large warehouse at 935B Southgate Dr.