River Crab employee tests positive for COVID-19; potential exposure reported around July 5-8 – The Times Herald

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The River Crab, 1337 River Road, has confirmed to the health department that an employee tested positive for COVID-19.(Photo: Brian Wells/Times Herald)

An employee of a waterfront restaurant in St. Clair Township has tested positive for the coronavirus, theSt. Clair County Health Department confirms.

The county was notified of the confirmed COVID-19 case at the River Crab this week, and according to a health department news release, the management at the restaurant is "working very closely" with health officials.

Patrons who visited the restaurant along M-29 on July 5, 6, 7 or 8 may have been exposed, the health department stated, and are encouraged to self-monitor for symptoms over the next 14 days and seek testing if they becomesymptomatic.

The release states that River Crab, 1337 River Road, has COVID-19 procedures in place, including daily employee health screenings and required masking throughout the facility.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Melanie Lewis, the dining room's manager, confirmed that the restaurant maintains a binder to ensure adherence to coronavirus protocols, and after examination, the health department approved them to remain open.

"Every day before our servers or any of our staff are allowed to enter the building or clock in, (they have their) temperatures (checked)," she said. "... Not only do we have extra cleaning set up and in place where things are disinfected nightly and throughout the day, (but) we also have disinfecting stations throughout the restaurant."

Lewis said employees also aren't allowed to remove their masks until they leave, adding, "We feel confident this will be an isolated event."

Health officials have said they've begun to receive a lot of calls or complaints about potential COVID issues in area businesses. As of earlier this month, Dr. Annette Mercatante,the county's medical health officer, said they were still trying to standardize their response. She said they were open to releasing names of restaurants where enough complaints or instances of COVID arise.

"If you walk into an establishment and see there's no way you can safely sit six feet apart and have a drink, you're not safe to take your mask off yet," Mercatante said in the recent interview. "If everybody in the building's not wearing a mask, you're not safe to go in. That's one of the choices people have."

As of Monday, it is required for Michiganders to wear masks in public spaces and for establishments to refuse entry or service to those who don't comply.

General questions can be directed to the St. Clair County COVID-19 informational hotline (810) 966-4163.(Photo: Brian Wells/Times Herald)

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include fatigue, cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headaches, nausea or vomiting, congestion, sore throat, diarrheaand abdominal pain.

Extra precautions to avoid transmitting the virus to others have also been highly encouraged, as individuals may be able to spread the disease for up to 48 hours priorto symptoms and some may remain asymptomatic.

COVID can spread primarily from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs, and social distancing of at least six feet is encouraged.

Other ways to reduce the spread of the virus and to protect others includes:

For more information on testing locations, visitwww.michigan.gov/coronavirus. St. Clair County updates its dashboard daily atwww.stclaircounty.org/offices/healthand provides weekly graph updates every Friday online and through social media.General questions can be directed to the St. Clair County COVID-19 informational hotline (810) 966-4163 or email covid19@stclaircounty.org.

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.

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River Crab employee tests positive for COVID-19; potential exposure reported around July 5-8 - The Times Herald