LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The owner of a Domino's pizza franchise in the Crenshaw District has temporarily closed the restaurant for “thorough sanitizing” after four employees at the location reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
The Domino's at 3631 Crenshaw Blvd. was the site of a worker strike last week that also involved a nearby McDonald's where an employee reportedly tested positive for the virus.
“The health and safety of my team members and customers is the number- one priority,” owner Brent Hamill told City News Service on Saturday. “I've established a number of COVID-19 precautions in my store, including enhanced sanitation and handwashing every 30 minutes, social distancing, providing masks to my team members, advising those who are sick to stay home, and offering contactless delivery to my customers.
“Out of an abundance of caution, I'm also taking the additional step of temporarily closing my store to allow for thorough sanitizing of the entire store. I'll be coordinating directly with my local public health authority about any further precautions that may be necessary. I look forward to being able to resume the privilege of serving my community and providing essential jobs to my dedicated team members.”
On Friday, a group representing the Domino' workers filed an emergency complaint with the Los Angeles County Public Health Department demanding that officials shut the eatery down.
“Instead of closing the store temporarily and allowing exposed workers to quarantine for 14 days with pay .. Domino's has stayed open without even providing protective equipment to workers or disinfecting the store,” reads the complaint, filed by delivery driver Angelica Olivares on behalf of herself and 10 coworkers.
“In addition to simply hiring replacement workers after four confirmed cases of COVID-19, Domino's is also having workers from its other stores work in our store, further cross-contaminating and increasing the likelihood of exposure at other Domino's locations,” the complaint read.
The complaint alleges that between April 4-10, “this single Domino's location has had four confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 among us workers.”
That number could not be independently verified.
Officials from the county's health department could not be reached for comment.
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