What you should know
- A New Jersey Walmart closed Tuesday night and will be closed to the public Wednesday after dozens of employees tested positive for COVID-19, a store worker said.
- A spokesperson declined to confirm how many cases had been confirmed at the store, but an employee said more than 90 workers contracted COVID.
- The store’s closure came on the same day that mask-wearing mandates were reinstated in closed public places in Paterson, East Orange and Hoboken.
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NEW YORK – A New Jersey Walmart store closed Tuesday night and will remain closed to the public Wednesday after dozens of employees tested positive for COVID-19, a supermarket employee said.
The Walmart located on W Edgar Road in Linden closed at 2:00 pm Tuesday “as part of an ongoing program initiated by the company … for an outside specialist to further sanitize the store,” the company said in a statement. release.
A spokeswoman said closing the store will also “give our associates additional time to restock and prepare the store,” as it expects to reopen at 6:00 am Thursday.
News of the closure comes after a store employee appeared to tell customers at the front door Tuesday night that the supermarket was closed. When a customer asked if the store was closed, the employee could be heard mentioning COVID-19.
Walmart spokeswoman Felicia McCranie said the company follows the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines regarding the use of masks for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Employees in stores where state or local mandates are in effect should wear masks on the premises, McCranie said, and any unvaccinated worker should wear face covers.
The spokesperson did not want to confirm how many cases had been confirmed at the store, but an employee said more than 90 workers contracted COVID-19. The company spokesperson also said it was not the first time a Walmart location had been closed during the pandemic.
The store’s closure came the same day mask-wearing mandates were reinstated in indoor public places in Paterson, East Orange and Hoboken. This amid high demand for testing across the state amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.
Paterson Mayor Andrew Sayegh is one of multiple mayors who want the governor to order a statewide mask-wearing mandate once again.
“Yes, I would consider asking the governor. I was in contact with his office yesterday, so that’s a phone call I’ll make,” Mayor Sayegh said of the request for a state mandate.
Gov. Phil Murphy said there were nearly 12,000 new positives Tuesday, along with 48 confirmed deaths from COVID-19. The state is taking steps to reduce the number of workers in offices in order to reduce the risk of spread by having state employees report to offices in a hybrid manner through January 10.
As a result of the rapid increase in cases, Paterson is one of many cities that added more test sites with four mobile units throughout the city. The two current sites have been plagued with long lines before and after Christmas, as demand for testing has skyrocketed.
A federal COVID-19 testing center will open soon in East Orange, and while it is not known how many employees will be available or when it will open, the goal is to conduct at least 1,000 tests per day, six days a week.
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