Another local business has confirmed that an employee has tested positive for COVID-19. We just talked with a Trader Joe’s spokesperson, checking out a tip we had received. She says a West Seattle employee tested positive on Saturday (June 27th) and had last worked the preceding Thursday (June 25th). The store brought in an independent cleaning crew for a thorough cleaning Saturday night/Sunday morning, she said..
I would be interested to know if they have plans to test the other employees there before they return to work.
It is not encouraged. You have to miss a certain amount of days after getting a test, even if you didn’t have symptoms but just wanted one for your piece of mind. As a full time employee, this would mean that you miss at least one day of work if you want to get a test, unpaid. If you have symptoms, then you get the paid ‘rona leave, otherwise, it’s backwards and again shows where TJ’s priorities are.
TJ’s Covid strategy needs tweaking. It’s inconsistent and out of sync with CDC recommendations. Crowd staging is good, but TJ puts too much effort into spraying the check out counters and requiring new bags. CDC said over a month ago that the virus does not easily spread from contaminated surfaces. Mainly, Covid 19 spreads from person to person. If TJs really wants to protect everyone, they should establish one way aisles.
The cdc has very little credibility with the way they have handled themselves in my lifetime. From the swine flu fiasco in 1976 to the Ebola disaster in 2014, plus the billons of dollars wasted in between. I believe they mean well but that’s not enough when lives are at stake.
What Ebola disaster? 2 people died in the US from it out of 11 total cases. Most who caught it were healthcare workers who volunteered in West Africa.
I’m not sure why we are so surprised that employees at local businesses are getting Covid. The public finds out, everyone gets crazy and says they are open too soon and so on. At least they tell you!! How many of these employees are getting sick from CUSTOMERS?!?! The customers sure don’t come in and say “hey I have Covid or I’ve never been tested and don’t know”. Can I shop or eat here?!?!
If a business has an employee who tested positive for Covid 19, the logical next steps are to notify the public, posting dates and times (not name) the employee worked. Next, shut down and test all other employees who work at that location. Common sense.
perhaps not at TJ’s, but folks just strolling into places without a mask, no enforcement as businesses are too scared to upset a precious customer, employees safety be damned…
Trader Joes has seemed to do an excellent job protecting their employees, enforcing mask wearing, limiting the number of customers in the store at a time, cleaning their carts between use, lots of social distancing reminders. It has been my favorite place to shop because it feels so safe. I hope their employee recovers quickly and it’s just the one person. ❤️
I agree – they’ve done a really good job. I hope the person recovers quickly.
I also agree about TJ’s. It took them a week or two to be fully on board, but when they were, they did it right, requiring masks before others, lines, wiping down carts. They’ve been quite vigilant and I applaud them for it. As this this pandemic evolved, the information coming out has been difficult to process for customers and businesses across the board. But I truly appreciate the ones that adopted it once they understood. I will say this; while TJ’s is my main store I frequent two others in the neighborhood to supplement what TJ’s doesn’t have or do well. One very well known for their attention to health. And well into the scare of all of this (early June) and long after TJ’s started their lines and vigilant wiping, this particular store still was not there. I was even told, while typing my password into my phone for ApplePay, that it was okay to remove my mask for face recognition. I don’t fault the employees for that, again changing info on a daily basis, but it was clear that the on top hadn’t really created an across the board policy to protect and it was disheartening. Because those managing the customers are the ones most at risk.
In theory, news like this, Duke’s, and the Admiral Starbucks shouldn’t change anything. In theory, we should always be operating as if anyone we encounter could have it by wearing a mask, keeping distance, and washing our hands.
Assume any business you enter could have employees that end up getting a positive test. If the business hasn’t done enough to make customers safe, regardless of positive tests, they won’t get my business.
Trader Joe’s seems to have a good system, and I shopped there Thursday and feel like I wouldn’t have done anything differently if I had known someone was sick.
Yes, but it is good to be aware of an increase in transmission in our community. People may want to adjust their going out behavior, revert back to staying home more, make faster grocery trips, limit shopping frequency, etc, to limit potential exposure.
This is what has been advised by epidemiologists, to be aware of what is happening with cases in your community and adjust accordingly.
This, yes, a lot of us need to know so we can be extra careful and just steer clear of TJs for a while because of at-risk people in our lives that we are not able to avoid contact with.
And yet customers still fight the face masks and sanitation aspect of it. No grocery store has done a better job of protecting its customers than Trader Joe’s. Yes, that’s even above Costco. How about we, as customers, do better at protecting the employees who deal with us day in and out?
And yet we’re still seeing people risking the lives of these essential workers by not wearing masks in stores. Wear masks, people. There is absolutely no excuse, and it’s now the law.
And yet we’re still seeing people risking the lives of essential workers by not wearing masks in stores.
Yesterday at Wildwood Market despite their posted signs. And today, my husband went to Met Market and saw numerous shoppers w/o masks.
Wear masks, people. There is absolutely no excuse, and it was law as of last Friday.
I work in customer service in the Junction, My place of business sees aprox. 500-800 customers everyday, I sanitize my p.o.s. work station, and wash my hands several times per day, and wear my mask at all times but it only takes that one person. I don’t want the virus..
I hear you and hope you stay well worker bee!
I hope you speak up to your management about any concerns you are seeing. Their first priority should be a safe environment for workers.
Customers are guests in your work environment and should be respectful of the guidelines, regardless of their personal concern level.
We are gonna have to get accustomed to these diagnoses and announcements. As long as we have folks mingling in confined spaces, like stores, the virus is gonna get passed around. At this point, I think the most we can hope for is that the level of infections stays low. And, that an effective (emphasis on “effective”) and affordable vaccine becomes available soon. I am not a public health expert, but I am making no significant travel or group get-together plans for the next year. And, I hope I can lift that deadline!!!I should also note that keeping the virus to a reasonable level means bars get closed and restaurants, including Duke’s, obey the social distance guidelines. Sorry, but that is essential.
Sorry but I will not be the first in line for a vaccination. I don’t want to be injected until I know it’s safe. who knows the long term side effects of a new vaccination.
It may be your right MIKI JO, but that incredibly selfish (and ignorant) anti-vaxx practice guarantees that others will become diagnosed and die from COVID19. To put yourself at risk is bad enough, but your ‘flat earth’ sugestions regarding vacinatons harm the whole world.
Big leap to selfish and anti-vax John. Caution should be there before jumping on the vaccination train of any new vaccine. From someone who has had horrible reactions to vaccines in the past, I will hold off as well.
Well then your decision will result in many more people dying. Since a vacination only works if a very large percentage of the population gets it, you will be the reason that others who can’t get the vacination will die. Hey, but you may not get it, so good for you if you don’t. You obviously think that is smart and reasonable. I think that decision is selfish and cowardly.
There are points in ones life where one must make a difficult decision for the greater good. Being scared is ok, not doing it because you’re scared is cowardly. We need heroes right now, not cowards. Be a hero, get vaccinated when it’s available. The decision you make on this vaccine will define the kind of person you choose to be. Be brave, be a hero.
Miki Jo- There are several vaccines being tested for safety right now. That is what is taking the time. What would you be waiting for?
I agree that bars should be closed. I also question restaurants having patrons seated at this time, especially indoors.
This is such a hard situation, I don’t want to see businesses close, but as transmission increases, that’s only going to negatively impact the economy and these businesses further. As cases increase, more people will stay home, more workers will get sick, etc.
Maybe some restaurants can adjust their menu approach to be more take out/meal prep focused, offering meal kits and larger portion options for take out, rather than so in-dining focused… one idea.
Maybe when we order out from restaurants we should order more at one time, purposely have leftovers, which would reduce the frequency of going out.
We need to figure out how to adjust with these times…
I hope the employee is okay and doesn’t endure any physical ailment more than a sniffle. U.S. healthcare is expensive and something like Covid-19 can bankrupt a family. Today Gilead Sciences Inc. detailed its pricing plans for Covid-19 drug remdesivir, saying it will charge U.S. hospitals $3,120 for a typical patient with commercial insurance. People can not afford to be sick with Covid-19.
I work in the junction, My place of business see’s many customers EVERYDAY. I do not want to get the virus. If you are sick PLEASE STAY HOME!
Well, that’s not true but the safest thing to do is to ACT as if you – and everyone you encounter – POTENTIALLY is. Therefore, face covering, and distancing.
So if we shopped there the end of the previous week how worried should we be? It would be nice if they gave more than the last day worked just so we had some idea.
As long as everyone is masked, your risk is about 1.5%. So, that is one of the times I wouldn’t be worried.
Staying home if you’re sick isn’t the problem. The problem is asymptomatic transmission. You can feel perfectly fine and still be spreading the virus.
Some of my customers admit that they just need to get out. So they come to my store.. I let them know. “I have to be here, You Don’t. You can tell what is “Essential” and what is not. Like do you really need that plant and greeting card?
Trader Joe’s will not divulge what shift (or which hours) the COVID positive employee worked on Thursday. The manager cited HIPAA laws as the reason. I don’t feel like this is “personal” information. I didn’t ask the name or gender of the employee, just the approximate time the employee was in the store on Thursday. It is my opinion that this information should be provided to the public. I was at TJ’s on Thursday afternoon and I live with a high risk individual. This was my only grocery store visit (only visit to any store) in the last two weeks. Do HIPAA laws really limit the release of this information?
HIPPA laws do not apply organizations like employers so they are out of luck on that claim.
Wonder if their employee was at WS protests mid June? It is within the 14-day window. Ofc we wont know if that’s a factor or not, but it IS strange to read comments here theorizing that unmasked customers are to blame when, for months, there have been unmasked customers in all stores while the protests in WS are actually within this infection timeframe.
Interesting…considering HIIPA does not apply to employee health information.
https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/workplaces/report-cases.aspx
At this time, most employers are not required to report individual COVID-19 cases to the Health Department.
You do realize in corporate places like this managers are not making the calls? You calling and asking for the manager to release information does nothing. All of their decisions are based on what corporate and their regional is telling them to do/say. They don’t have any answers and are following orders to protect their jobs. This is more than likely what they were told to say. Instead of shaming and harassing the managers and workers who are trying their best why not go and get tested if you are concerned. Everyone who is getting sick more than likely has a job but unfortunately these people are deemed “essential” and are having to work more now then ever, so yeah someone at a grocery store is going to get sick.
Would you recommend “contact tracing” every customer who shopped there during that week?Should you, and every human you came within 6 feet of since your shopping trip be tested? Self isolate? Use some common sense. Don’t turn one worker (or their employer) into a pariah. Do you really think they turned up for their shift aware that they were infected? This is not a game of “Humans VS. Zombies”.
Even when HIPPA is relevant there are exceptions for the immediate safety of others… but that hasn’t stopped almost every business from using it as a cover to hide infections and keep potentially and likely infected workers on the job, and customers coming in. It has been a huge problem in medical, and every other industry as well. It’s good these businesses are informing the public at all. It should be required.
I think if you were distancing, wearing a mask, not touching your face, and then washing hands well, I would not worry. I take all those steps when shopping and have been able to stay healthy.
All us crew members don’t know who it is either. But, they aren’t allowed back for at least 14 days so even though it’ll be too late, we’ll find out who it is. Something else that really sucks about this is the testing station ACROSS THE STREET from TJ’s that only accepts established patients. Like, I get it, but it’s really difficult for some of my coworkers to go all the way to SODO for free testing/or seek private testing. Also, some folks got tested early on and may have to pay out of pocket for a new test bc insurance only covers one test. Plus it just seems silly.I think it’s bonkers that TJ’s didn’t follow their own procedure of shutting down for 3 days after a positive test like they established to the crew early on in the pandemic. This individual worked Thursday, got tested Friday, we were told Saturday. Saturday night we had a cleaning crew come in. Seems a little fast-tracked IMO, but as far as customer safety goes, y’all are fine. We genuinely are clean freaks and as long as customers are masked up, risk for y’all is low. We’re really tryin. The big issue is that our back area is really cramped, our breakroom doubly so. Employees pose a much higher risk to each other than anyone else. It’s physically impossible to socially distance in the breakroom, which happens to be the one space we are often maskless— eating, drinking, taking a quick breather. Having 50+ minutes (counting paid breaks) of maskless time per day, five days a week with multiple people in a tiny space……it was gonna happen eventually. For all we sanitize/clean the breakroom throughout the day, that won’t stop the respiratory droplets from hangin out in a poorly ventilated space.
My guess is that retreating back to Phase 1 is around the corner. Don’t blame the health & local government officials though. How stupid is it that we can’t wear a mask & wash our hands to stay healthy & go back to work?
Trader Joe’s does the best of all the grocery stores I have gone to…people are carefully metered as to when they can go in, and they all wear masks.. I was in West Seattle Safeway at Jefferson Square today and the young man in front of me had his mask only over his mouth, and the helper with bagging kept losing his mask over his nose. No one said any thing (except me). Very careless. Bartels, a drugstore I love, had no one monitoring people coming in without masks…and many did when I was there….sick people coming in to get their meds don’t need to get sicker by selfish people without masks. Because of health issues, if I get the virus, I’m toast.
All employees are masking and if you wore a mask in the store and had a very brief interaction with the staff member (as most of these grocery store interactions go) you’re likely safe. Keep that 6’ wherever you can folks!
Just reposting from the other day…” Not to negate anyone’s post…just putting it out there that it isn’t ALL about your local businesses…i.e being open, masked or unmasked etc. etc…I recently talked with a woman who came down with the virus and the doctors couldn’t understand why and when this could happen. The day the lock-down happened, she never left her apartment (being 63, she was of course apprehensive). She had food delivered etc. The medical staff was trumped (not going political people, so don’t start). When she mentioned that the only time she left her apartment was to take out garbage/recycling and grab mail…via the apartment elevator, the doctor only could deduce that she encountered the virus there. She was completely honest and adamant that she only touched the buttons with a sanitized tissue (she, again, was very careful and followed ALL protocols)… and the doctor told her that the virus can linger for up to 15 minutes in an enclosed space. NOW- the only reason I am mentioning this at all (she has recovered, though it was agonizing), is that the comments on this blog are soooo quick to blame businesses, and not seeing that it can happen “anywhere”…no matter how much you do to protect yourself based on CDC recommendation. We just all have to know that being safe, taking precautions, and whatever…it can still happen. It sucks, but this woman mentioned that the mere fact that she took care of herself, was healthy, had a very caring and helpful community, was what got her through. It saddens me to read the posts blaming businesses (who are doing EVERYTHING to be safe and stay afloat…never mind the optics and releasing information to stay ahead of rumors), just fuels the blame by those who need a culprit. We don’t know the stories, what they are going through, how they got it, etc…but one thing I learned, from this amazing woman, is that the help she received, and the support she had, is what truly helped her and anyone that contracts the virus. It’s out there, it can happen to anyone…be safe, and don’t be so quick to pass judgments on businesses. Community is what makes us human. Stay safe!”WHY is it that everyone blames the local businesses? And if they were paying attention to protocols? Those customers are at risk “anywhere”! Again, as a business owner, I desire to maintain healthy practices (as I would pre-COVID), especially now based on the optics. We are hanging on by a thread… but the one thing I have learned (over 15+ years in business), is that no news is good news. I should be thankful, but I cringe with anxiety when someone posts something positive about my business… because it opens my place up for negativity… one’s compliment fuels another one’s desire to point out something that they didn’t like…and then- Boycott! So selfish of us! We are murderers! How dare thee to want to stay in business! Money over lives? “Hold on… got to take this email, I’m working from home and get paid the same as if before COVID and the lockdown“… and they weren’t even wearing masks! Unless they get their shit together, I will be taking my business elsewhere!I was driving up West Marginal way today, and there were (and I counted, due to the long light), 12 sleek Amazon Sprinter Vans… this is what I imagine the future apocalypse to look like). What gives? Quit bashing on local businesses and understand that this virus is hanging out on every package you receive… Amazon is so fast that the 15 minutes to linger could “aghast”, give you this deadful virus that people only get from protesting or supporting their local haunts.And that is just a popular example (meaning, bashing on a corporate business… shame on me, really.) I’m a supporter of democracy, corporations, small businesses, mom and pop’s, non- profits etc… it is just frustrating to have small local businesses get shamed, when the unknown “atrocities” are just as prevalent, and silenced. COMMUNITY! Let’s be positive (ha ha, not that way), and support, listen, and think outside of fear mongering and come up with a way to help those that are sick, and those that are trying to maintain the economy. Bashing and shaming has taken it’s toll. Stay safe! Wash your hands!
Thank you – a good reminder that each of us is responsible for every choice we make. Blaming businesses shows no compassion for the humans working in that business. Everyone-please do everything you can to stay safe while still meeting your personal obligations….whether that be showing up to support BLM, going to work, checking in on family & friends, shopping, going out for medical care or picking up a meal or food at the food bank. Do what you need to do & be responsible for that activity. And wear your mask & wash your hands !
Weirdly, no one seems to be bashing TJs- they have done a great job of doing everything in their power to make their stores as safe as possible, unlike multiple area restaurants, which is what was being discussed when you first posted this comment. I hope you have reconsidered your position of anger about your employees feeling unsafe at work, because that isn’t going to make anyone want to support your business.
Business owner–You have a lot to say. Bet more would read it if not so long.
When I went to TJ’s during senior hours, the doorman let a young guy thru, with no mask on
yeah, it’s really aggravating but we (crew members) aren’t allowed to actually enforce the mask rule. we can only gently encourage the use of masks but not actually call anyone out or say “you have to wear a mask to come in”
as much as i applaud the state for saying masks are “law” now, without any sort of enforcement (by the state or stores/businesses) people who refuse have no consequence for their selfishness.if the city/state won’t attempt to enforce this “law”, i wish more businesses would actively ban maskless people at the door – i know that is risky but so is closing down your shop if people get sick. we all know the customer is NOT always right…
@HS I believe in science and wear a mask to shop. And everyone else, please do the same. It’s not ‘just’ the flu, it’s a horrible way to die for half a million people and counting.But I’ve seen this graphic before and the math in the top 2 scenarios still doesn’t make sense to me. Can someone explain why the healthy person’s mask lowers the risk by so much less than the carrier’s mask? Is it because the carrier’s mask stops the virus at the source vs potentially getting in the other person’s eyes or on their clothes & skin where they may pick it up and ingest it later?
AT, that’s exactly right. It’s all about water droplets that carry the virus. In #1, the water droplets still get sprayed everywhere, including on the person’s face. In #2, if they are wearing the mask properly and have a decent mask (thick fabric, etc), those water droplets never make it past the mask.
Have you sneezed yet while wearing a mask? Once you have, it really isn’t difficult to believe that the graphic is at least close to being accurate.
Because the masks that are available for the public don’t prevent you from the virus. Only something like the N95 mask (not available to the public) would be able to do that. The cloth and generic disposable masks that most of us are wearing prevent the wearers from spreading their droplets during breathing, talking, singing, coughing and sniffling. So, if everyone is wearing a mask then the virus has a very hard time spreading. This is why this is a public health issue. The more people are on board, the less the virus spreads.
That graphic was one of the visually clearest I’ve found. The 70% represents a medically “high” rate of contagion to an unmasked person from a masked contagious person. So, healthy people are still at a “high” risk of getting sick when not masked. I felt that it highlighted the effectiveness and need for everyone to wear a mask. The difference between the upper and middle is because masks are most effective at “source control” (directly against a contagious persons mouth) and minimizing droplet spread. There are many factors to consider – fabric; n95 or not; spread: talking, singing, cough, coughing more than once, sneeze; and you have to factor in total wearing since nothing is 100%. It’s more challenging because people don’t know they’re contagious. It seemed to be the easiest visual that accurately depicted information I had gleaned from the CDC and other medical research sources. Hope that helps.
I was at TJ’s yesterday at Senior hours. Three staff standing at the desk (between the entrance and exit) were talking and laughing positioned right next to each other. No distancing. It is not like they were in the aisles and just accidentally bumped into each other. And two staff outside the exit also within a foot of each other. Also not distancing. TJ espouses a commitment to safety. Yet there is inconsistency in actual practice. Some may say this was only a couple employees not distancing. But transmission of this often grave illness is easy and invisible. Business owners (and customers) wanting to engage must unfailingly utilize correct precautions. Thank you.
@HS
Source? I’ve only seen this diagram posted on social media and wondered if it’s real and factual.
I have been able to find several very similar graphics but not the original source. I’ve tried Tineye and other search engines. The main argument seems to focus on the percentages which I think are probability percentages versus standard, hence the confusion. But in a general info-graphic information sense, typically 70% translates as upper, 50% as average and 30% as low. I believe the “high” descriptor I located in other graphics needs to be read as if translating medical text. Translating information is always so interesting :)
No, that image is not (specifically) factual.
It represents the medical consensus regarding masks–i.e., the fact that correctly wearing a cloth mask significantly protects others and slightly protects yourself–but the actual numbers in that image appear to be completely fabricated.
I forget where I read it but Reuters did a fact check on it, even asking the CDC, and that was what they found.
Nonetheless, numerous studies on betacoronaviruses (sars, mers) show that masks do help, so don’t take this image being fake as a reason to stop wearing masks and keeping people safe!
Trader Joe’s has always been my favorite place to shop. However, I am very disappointed with them at the moment. I think it is disgracefully that they will not let people know the approximate time when their employee was working. I’m not buying their “legality” issue. I was also at the store during a “senior / high-health risk” time and there was a man cruising around the store without a mask. I explained to the manager that I am in a high-health risk category and requested that he ask the maskless shopper to put on a mask. He said they could not “legally” do that. How about asking him to leave, or not letting him in? How is it that if I walked into a restaurant barefoot they would ask me to leave because of health concerns, but Trader Joes will allow people to infect their customers and employees with a potentially deadly virus? How about “no shirt, no shoes, no mask, no service?” 127,000 dead Americans during a worldwide health crisis and Trader Joes is getting hung up on meaningless legal technicalities. Are we in this together with the same ultimate goals or not?
I’m with everyone else. Hey WSB, how about using your status to call and make TJ’s do the right thing and give some information to help customers know if they are at risk and should quarantine? Do they really care about the customers too? If so, they would do a modified contact tracing and help those that might be affected know to get tested. Even PCC puts on their website some details about when an employee gets covid. WSB, any help here?
@ Schmitz Park Dad- You’re right. I’ve been known to produce “novels”… point taken:)
I work at TJ’s and I go to work in fear everyday. I have no faith that the company will do the right thing for me, should I contract the covid. We still bag together inches away, often times touching while doing so. Why in the world this is okay is beyond me, but we either do it or they cut your hours. Also, as far as testing goes, we are NOT encouraged to get tests. You have to miss a mandatory amount of days if you get a test, even if you just want one for your own piece of mind. This would mean, that to get a test, you have to miss at least one day of work as a full time employee, unpaid. You can lie and say you have symptoms, then you get the paid coronavirus leave. It’s so backwards. I wouldn’t call that “encouraging”.Employee reviews are coming up. I don’t see how anyone who worked here full time during covid will get a negative review, but if that does happen, I’m sure some stories will start coming out.
Sorry, comment time is over.
| 74 COMMENTS