Late in the day Friday, we got a couple questions about a sudden closure of the Walgreens store in High Point, which continued Saturday, with the store reopening Sunday. The closure notice posted on the store door did not cite a reason. We asked corporate media relations on Monday via email: “Was this a COVID-related closure?” and corporate spokesperson Erin Loverher responded this morning:

Yes, this location was temporarily closed and is now open. When notified of a confirmed or presumed positive COVID-19 case, we take actions meeting or exceeding recommendations from the CDC, OSHA, public health officials and other credible sources while following federal, state and local health advisories. Our clinical and safety teams work closely with our field and store leadership to respond accordingly, which may include identifying and contacting individuals who may be at risk in order to self-quarantine or self-monitor their health, as well as third-party, industrial cleaning and disinfecting the location or impacted areas of the store. Cleanings may require temporarily closing a store, at which time customers may visit a nearby store location for their prescription needs.

We are actively reviewing our policies and procedures as guidelines evolve, and will continue to adjust our safety protocols accordingly to promote the safety and wellbeing of our team members and customers.

As we reported in this July story, businesses are not required to disclose to customers if one or more staff members tests positive. Some have done so proactively anyway, or in response to inquiries like this.