Out of an abundance of caution, and in an interest to protect its team members, GraceKennedy is announcing the temporary closure of its facilities at 73 Harbour Street in downtown Kingston.

“Yesterday, we closed our 73 Harbour Street building for deep cleaning and sanitization, after learning that a GK team member is in close contact with an employee at Alorica BPO, which had been closed as a result of two confirmed cases of the Corona virus. The GK team member in question has been asked to self-isolate for a two week period, as per established protocols,” said GK Group CEO, Don Wehby.

He further stated, “Based on the reports in the media, several of the Alorica BPO employees have tested positive for COVID-19, with more being tested. As such, we thought it prudent to keep 73 Harbour Street closed temporarily. We have instructed our team members based at 73 Harbour Street to work from home until Friday, April 17, at which point we will update them further.”

In speaking to GK’s COVID-19 Protocols, the Group CEO disclosed that employees who declare having potentially come into contact with the virus, are required to self-isolate or self-quarantine for a 14 day period, before returning to work. The department or building where that employee is located is closed, and deep cleaned and sanitized as a matter of course, before it is deemed safe for any employee’s return. “We have developed these guidelines in accordance with the orders from the GOJ and the Ministry of Wellness and Health, and we take these guidelines very, very seriously. We will continue to operate using these protocols, because our team’s wellness and safety, and those of the wider community, are paramount,” Mr Wehby said.

“We encourage our team members and the wider public to take all the necessary precautions to keep themselves and their families safe,” he said.