A Corvallis Dutch Bros employee has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement issued online by the company. Community comments on social media were largely in support of the company for its transparency and quick action.
Prior to the positive test, the employee worked morning shifts on July 1 and 2; and an afternoon shift on June 30.
The Dutch Bros statement said the infected employee works in a shop located at 425 NW Harrison Blvd. The employee, who was instructed to self-isolate for 14 days, was tested on Thursday, July 2, and received a positive result the same day. Prior to the test, the employee worked the mornings of Wednesday and Thursday that week as well as an afternoon shift on Tuesday.
As of Friday, July 3, Oregon has reported 9,636 cases of COVID-19 including 209 deaths, according to Oregon Health Authority statistics. In Benton County, there have been 83 cases and five deaths. Gov. Kate Brown recently put eight counties on a watch list based on spiking coronavirus numbers: Jefferson, Lake, Lincoln, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union and Wasco.
After learning of the positive coronavirus case, Dutch Bros immediately began closing procedures. As an extra precaution, the company said it would undergo a third-party deep clean overnight. Dutch Bros was also coordinating with public health officials to confirm that its protocols exceed expectations.
“The health and wellbeing of our customers and employees is always our top priority,” the Dutch Bros statement said.
Dutch Bros has also taken the following steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Enforced increased hand-washing and sanitizing
- Temporarily suspended the use of personal mugs at our drive-thrus
- Temporarily closed walk-ins and walk-ups to focus exclusively on serving through our drive-thru windows
- Instituted a cashless payment system, eliminating unnecessary touch points between customers and “broistas”
- Instituted mask policies to align with updated CDC recommendations
“We want the community to know we’re following all recommended CDC guidelines and will continue to keep the community’s health at the forefront of all decisions we make,” the statement said.
Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to reach out to communitywellness@dutchbros.com.
By Cody Mann
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