‘Multiple’ employees at south Sacramento Target infected with COVID-19

“Multiple team members” at a Target in south Sacramento have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the company.

The infections occurred at the Target located on Cosumnes River Boulevard, the company said in a statement sent to The Bee Thursday evening.

Target declined to state exactly how many employees were infected, when they were last at work and how recently the infections occurred. The affected employees have since begun quarantining on paid leave, the company stated via spokesman Jake Anderson.

“After learning about positive cases, we also work quickly to deep clean and sanitize the store,” Anderson said in an email. “We have notified the entire store team and provided them with the appropriate CDC guidance.”

The company stated that it is providing stores with masks, gloves, thermometers and partitions at checkout lines to help reduce the spread of the virus.

“Our top priority is the health and safety of our team members and guests,” Anderson said. “We will continue to actively monitor this situation and respond accordingly.”

Target, one of many big-box retailers to remain open throughout the coronavirus pandemic, has seen numerous employees test positive for COVID-19 across the state and country. Workers in Livermore, as well as Georgia, North Dakota, North Carolina and Virginia have been infected in recent months.

Deemed essential, employees at major retailers have become increasingly vocal about the health and safety risks of continuing to come into work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some Target workers called in sick or walked off the job May 1, as part of a nationwide strike to call attention to the lack of benefits and protections for essential workers.