Palermo's Pizza shuts down manufacturing facility after 5 workers test positive for COVID-19
MILWAUKEE -- Palermo's Pizza has shut down its manufacturing facility in the Menomonee Valley after being notified by the Milwaukee Health Department that five Palermo's employees tested positive for COVID-19.
One of the five employees who tested positive has recovered. The other four are in isolation at home.
In a statement, the company's President and CEO Giacomo Fallucca said the facility must close for at least 48 hours to implement additional steps in mitigating the potential spread of the virus in consultation with the Milwaukee Health Department.
The Wisconsin National Guard will be conducting tests on-site for all employees in the near future.
Fallucca's statement continued:
“The safety and well-being of our employees is a priority to our company, and we have taken several steps to help keep them safe and minimize the chance of them contracting the COVID-19 virus. This includes having all employees not essential to production work from home, instituting social distancing measures and providing additional PPE in our plant to help keep our manufacturing employees safe as well.
Fallucca said there is no known risk to consumers who purchase Palermo's products. There is no evidence, according to the FDA, that suggests that COVID-19 is transmitted by eating foods.
The company has taken steps, Fallucca said, to reduce further exposure, including requesting that coworkers who may have come in contact with employees who tested positive self-quarantine for 14 days. The facility will also undergo daily cleaning and sanitizing procedures along with regular deep cleaning and sanitizing procedures.
