Double Covid blow for Corby Wetherspoons pubs

Both Corby JD Wetherspoon pubs in the town have been affected by a member of staff testing positive for Covid-19.

An employee from the Samuel Lloyd pub at Rockingham Leisure Park in Rockingham Road had taken a test for coronavirus but had turned up for work as normal.

The Samuel Lloyd employee was sent home and their colleagues were told to self-isolate, however when it was discovered that the employee had also been socialising with another member of staff from The Saxon Crown, they were also told to self-isolate.

A JD Wetherspoon spokesman said: "JD Wetherspoon was notified on [Thursday] August 27 of a positive Covid-19 test result from a member of staff at the Samuel Lloyd, Corby.

"In accordance with Environmental Health guidelines, the employee has been asked to self-isolate for the requisite ten-day period.

"The employee attended work on [Wednesday] August 26 but was later sent home while awaiting the result of a test taken the day before.

"As a precaution, 18 staff working at the premises, who may have come into close contact with the affected employee, have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

"Apart from the initial staff member who tested positive, there have been no other positive tests at the Samuel Lloyd, Corby.

"The affected employee was identified as having socialised outside of work with an individual employed at our other pub in Corby, the Saxon Crown.

"The employee at the Saxon Crown has been contacted by Test and Trace and has been asked to self-isolate for the requisite 14-day period.

"In these circumstances, it has not been the advice of the health authorities to close the premises.

"A team of employees from other Wetherspoon pubs in the area have been asked to assist with running the pub in the interim period."

Close contact means being within two metres of a person who tested positive for the virus for 15 minutes or more, or within one metre for one minute or more.

The spokesman added: "With regard to social distancing, since reopening, Wetherspoon has operated comprehensive social distancing and hygiene practices in all its pubs.

"These include; reduced capacity levels, the spacing out of tables, the installation of a number of floor screens between tables and the addition of till-surround screens to the bar.

"Staff are conducting regular surface cleaning and, on average, ten hand sanitisers have been installed in each pub.

"In addition, we have someone on duty front of house at all times and door-staff are on duty at weekends to monitor social distancing controls and compliance with the reduced capacity levels and reduced hours operating at the pub.

"While it is not possible to completely eliminate risk, a combination of strict hygiene and strict social distancing measures helps to minimise it."

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