Leading retail chain, OK Zimbabwe Limited, has announced the temporary closure of Bon Marche Mt. Pleasant after a female guard manning the premises tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus which causes the respiratory illness called COVID-19.
In a letter addressed to all branches and head office units, the company’s Chief Executive Officer A. E Sivavora said the temporary closure of the Mt Pleasant Bon Marche branch was to allow essential decontamination processes. The letter read:
Temporary Closure of Bon Marche Mt. Pleasant
I write to notify you all that Bon Marche’s Mt Pleasant branch is closed temporarily in order to carry out essential decontamination processes.
This became necessary after our outsourced security service provider informed us that a female guard, who was posted at the store until Thursday, 16th July 2020, tested positive for the COVID-19 over the weekend. She has not been at the store since 16 July 2020 and is now in quarantine.
We have contracted a specialist company to deep clean and thoroughly disinfect the premises as a measure to ensure decontamination.
All team members in and service providers of the store are in the process of being screened and tested for COVID-19.
We have taken these steps to ensure that the health and safety of our employees, service providers and customers are safeguarded.
It is incumbent on all of us to stay vigilant and take all necessary precautions as per the guidelines to control and contain the spread of COVID-19.
We should ensure that all staff, service providers and customers have their body temperatures checked and hands sanitized at entry points to our premises as well as ensuring that they wear face masks at all times.
We will update all stakeholders on the results of the COVID-19 tests being carried out and hope to resume the store operations with minimum delay after full decontamination of the store.
OK Zimbabwe Limited Chief Executive Officer