The Union Square Trader Joe’s was closed for sanitizing after a worker there just tested positive for coronavirus.
A Village Sun reader sent the paper the above photo on Tuesday, but the store may have been closed on Monday, according to an announcement from the supermarket chain. The announcement mentioned three Trader Joe’s closings for COVID-19 cleaning, the Union Square store, along with ones in Plainfield, NY, and Elkridge, Maryland.
According to the sign posted on the door of the supermarket, at 142 E. 14th St., the worker was last there on Sun., March 22. Trader Joe’s is advising anyone who visited the outlet over the 14-day period ending on March 22 and has health-related concerns to contact the New York State Coronavirus Hotline at 1-888-364-3065.
The market will be receiving a through cleaning and sanitization — and will be restocked.
“As soon as the store has been fully cleaned and restocked, we plan to reopen,” the sign states.
While the stores are closed, Trader Joe’s will be paying all crew members for their scheduled shifts.
I was at Trader Joes at 6th Ave. and 21st St. at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. The staffers were congregated in the storeroom, without masks, and close together and walked through the store close together. No cashiers had masks. Half the customers didn’t have masks on. It was kind of bizarre as I was moving around with mask and gloves.
I was there on Monday and the store was open. I had on a mask and gloves and was surprised none of the cashiers had on any protection. For the first time I wiped down the wine bottles I bought when I got home. Hope it was enough.