WADESBORO — An employee has tested positive for COVID-19 at the Wadesboro IGA grocery store.
The employee is receiving medical care. The store has decided to remain open after consulting with local and state health experts as well as the health department.
“As more cases are likely to occur, we’ll continue to take precautions and actions to keep our stores and other facilities clean and ensure the safety of our employees, customers, and communities following the protocols from our own health experts and relevant federal, state, and local authorities,” said IGA in a press release.
“Health and safety are our top priorities,” said IGA, “And, as we’ve said before, we want any employee who is not feeling well to stay home.” To this effect, IGA has created a COVID-19 emergency leave policy to ensure its employees have the support necessary to remain at home in the event of an illness.
At press time, the Anson County Health Department has listed 20 cases of COVID-19 in Anson County. Of those 20, seven are active and 13 have been discharged. The most recent cases are community spread.
“Remember, ‘community spread’ means that the patient does not know where they came in contact with the virus,” said the Anson County Health Department in a Facebook post. “You should assume EVERY person you come in contact with is potentially infected. Regardless of where you go.”
IGA is owned and operated by W. Lee Flowers & Co. The company was founded in 1922 in South Carolina and is one of the largest grocery distributors in the South East. It is a subsidiary of Alex Lee, Inc.
Alex Lee, Inc is a family-owned company based in Hickory, NC and founded in 1931. It serves as the parent company of Merchants Distributors, LLC, which provides wholesale distribution to supermarkets, and Lowes Food, which is a grocery store chain in the Carolinas and Virginia.