BELMONT, Mass. — An employee at the Star Market in Belmont has died after contracting coronavirus, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
The worker, who has not been identified by the company, died from complications related to the deadly virus. According to a spokesperson, the employee had not been in the store since April 4.
“We were saddened to learn that an associate at our Star Market store in Belmont, Massachusetts, has passed away due to complications related to COVID-19,” a spokesperson for the company said. “Our hearts are heavy, and our thoughts are with that associate’s family. This is a difficult day for the entire Star Market team.”
It is unclear when and where the employee contracted the virus.
Since then, the company says the grocery store has “been through multiple cycles of [their] enhanced cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting process.” As a precautionary measure, the spokesperson said the store was disinfected, sanitized and cleaned thoroughly after receiving the report of the confirmed case of COVID-19.
Moving forward, the spokesperson said all employees will be required to practice social distancing and wash their hands and disinfect checkout stands every hour. Workers on the front lines have been given protective masks and will be required to wear them at work.
“The health and safety of everyone who walks through our doors is a top priority,” a spokesperson said.
The Star Market employee is at least the third supermarket worker to die of COVID-19 in Massachusetts. An employee at the Market Basket in Salem died of COVID-19 complications earlier this month along with an employee at the Whole Foods in Swampscott.
Last week, a group of three dozen state lawmakers sent Gov. Charlie Baker a letter urging him to require grocery stores to offer curbside pick-up and payment.
“We encourage you to order the (outdoor) curbside pick-up and payment for food for grocery stores that offer online ordering and delivery and encourage other grocers offer this service,” the letter stated. Stores that don’t already have online ordering and delivery options would not be impacted.
“We believe such an order would be consistent with the goals of your recent Executive Order as it would further limit customer traffic in grocery stores and reduce possible exposures inside grocery stores, while still ensuring access to essential groceries,” the letter stated.
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RESOURCES:
- Massachusetts Coronavirus Information
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