Modesto confirms COVID-19 among ‘fewer than 10’ of its city workers
The city of Modesto suspects fewer than 10 of its roughly 1,200 employees have COVID-19 and is awaiting confirmation from Stanislaus County public health, according to two city officials.
The employees are not at work, but Deputy City Manager Caluha Barnes declined to say more to protect their privacy. She said Monday that all but one of the cases were reported in the last several days, and the cases are not concentrated in a particular department or city workplace.
Barnes said the employees reported they had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and the city is waiting for confirmation from public health. She said the city believes the employees were not infected at work because the city has put in protocols to keep employees safe during the pandemic.
“We’ve done everything we can to ensure the exposure was not here,” Barnes said, adding that includes social distancing, temperature checks, the wearing of masks, allowing employees to work from home, and limiting the time employees spend in the same office.
Barnes said Modesto brought in a company with expertise in cleaning and disinfecting potentially contaminated environments once it learned of the suspected cases, and city spokesman Thomas Reeves said the company completed the work Sunday.
The Bee obtained a Thursday email from Michaux Burchard, the city’s safety officer, to city officials about a COVID-19 case at the city’s Corporation Yard.
The email cited the building the employee worked in and stated that “all employees working (in that building) are instructed to obtain COVID-19 testing. Employees who are not symptomatic may return to work on Monday (7/6) and will be required to follow (federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) CDC guidelines, wearing a mask at all times pending the results of the tests.”
CDC guidance for close contact
“All other employees at the Corp Yard are being made aware of this situation and instructed to continue with daily self-monitoring of symptoms, adhere to all CDC protocols, and consider getting tested if you have any concerns of potential exposure or underlying medical conditions.”
Barnes said Burchard issued the email out of an abundance of caution. She said the employees in the building already were limiting their time in there and taking other precautions. She said they did not meet the CDC guidelines for what is called close contact to warrant testing.
But she said Modesto encourages employees to get tested if they feel a need to, and the city will work out the details. The email cited three locations where city workers can get free tests.
The COVID-19 cases include one confirmed case for a Modesto Police Department employee. Police Chief Galen Carroll confirmed Monday that one of his employees was infected about a month ago, and is doing OK. Fire Chief Alan Ernst said there are no confirmed cases in his department.
Barnes said it is not a surprise city employees would become infected despite the city’s precautions. Stanislaus County is on the California Department of Public Health’s watch list because of a recent surge of the virus.
The county public health officer has said that in violation of the state’s public health order, “there are increased reports of home gatherings, birthday parties, graduation parties, shared celebrations and shared sorrows. Many times these are happening without taking the necessary precautions to decrease chances for this virus to spread.”
This story was originally published July 7, 2020 at 9:46 AM.
