By Chavi Mehta
(Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc’s Canada division has been ordered to close its Brampton facility in southern Ontario, with workers being asked to self-isolate for 14 days, according to a statement from Peel Public Health on Friday.
Over the past few weeks, the rate of COVID-19 infection across Peel has been decreasing while the rate inside Amazon’s fulfillment center has been increasing significantly, according to Peel Public Health. (https://bit.ly/38uDnOn)
Amazon said it will appeal the decision, adding that the facility closure may have some short-term impact on its Canadian customers.
The company said that in its most recent round of mandatory testing in the facility, COVID-19 positive cases were less than 1%.
Peel Public Health said a current investigation determined high-risk exposure to COVID-19 for everyone working at the facility cannot be ruled out.
All employees will be required to self-isolate through March 27, unless they have tested positive in the last 90 days and completed their isolation period, the health agency said.
Last month, New York’s Attorney General Letitia James sued Amazon over its handling of worker safety issues related to the pandemic at two warehouses, a Staten Island fulfillment center and a Queens distribution center, both in New York City. (https://reut.rs/38Cm1iG)
(Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
