Penn Hills Shop ’n Save closes after 4th employee tests positive for covid-19

The Penn Hills Shop ’n Save has closed until further notice after a fourth employee tested positive for covid-19 in less than a week.

None of the employees who contracted the coronavirus disease have been inside the store since June 29, according to owner Greg Hartley. He said the decision to shut down this weekend was made “out of an abundance of caution” and to allow time for thorough cleaning and contact tracing.

It’s unclear when the Penn Hills market on Saltsburg Road will reopen.

“As we’ve done with each confirmed case, we’re working directly with health officials to follow all (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines and help further mitigate the spread of disease,” Hartley said in an emailed statement. “We encourage customers to visit the Holiday Park Shop ‘n Save until we’re able to safely and responsibly reopen the Penn Hills location.”

Three employees had been quarantining at home since testing positive for the coronavirus disease on Tuesday and Wednesday. They will remain off work for at least two weeks.

Posting on the Hartley Family Shop ‘n Save Stores Facebook page, store officials said two of those employees last worked at the store on June 25 and the third last worked there on June 27.

Employees who may have had close contact with them were told not to work until they get tested.

The store remained open Thursday and Friday while staff stepped up sanitation efforts.

“The affected employees were of low contact with customers, and we feel that the risk to the public is low,” the Facebook post read.

Extensive cleaning of the store began on June 27.

The store also has been requiring daily temperature checks for all employees at the beginning of their shifts.