By Mitchell Clarke
An employee at the Fountain Gate Apple store has returned a positive test to Covid-19.
The global technology giant confirmed the news but said the store would remain open, after it was deemed the employee had “no close contact” to anyone within the store.
The Narre Warren store wasn’t forced to close and an alert to customers wasn’t “necessary”.
Due to privacy, the company was unable to provide details on what day the employee returned the positive test, but the Gazette understands it was sometime this week.
Since reopening on 7 May, Apple has implemented stringent safety measures in a bid to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.
Some of the measures include providing face masks to all employees and customers and reducing store numbers to ensure two metre distances can be kept at all times.
Customers are temperature checked upon entry and employees are checked twice daily, and aren’t allowed to sit together during breaks.
Enhanced deep cleanings are conducted daily on all surfaces, display products and customer devices which are undergoing repairs.
In a statement issued on 17 May, Apple said the response to Covid-19 was still ongoing and the road back to normalcy would have its “twists and turns”.
“We look at every available piece of data — including local cases, near and long‑term trends, and guidance from national and local health officials,” the statement read.
“These are not decisions we rush into — and a store opening in no way means that we won’t take the preventative step of closing it again should local conditions warrant.”
A Westfield Fountain Gate spokesperson said the “highest standard of cleanliness and hygiene” was carried out across all centres.
“The safety and wellbeing of our customers, retail partners and our people is our priority,” the spokesperson said.
“Our retailer has been working directly with health authorities and is following all necessary cleaning, hygiene and tracing protocols.”
