Days after Sacramento County employees return to the office, one tests positive for COVID-19

Just two days after Sacramento County had nearly 3,000 non-essential and vulnerable workers return to the office, an employee who works at a county building in south Sacramento reported testing positive for the coronavirus.

The employee, who had been on paid administrative leave and returned to work last week when the county ended the paid-leave program, was last at the Department of Human Assistance building Wednesday. The county was notified of the positive test result on Friday.

The workspace was “thoroughly cleaned” when the worker went home, county spokeswoman Kimberly Nava said in an email.

In an email notifying employees at 2450 Florin Road of the infection Friday, a manager asked workers to self-monitor for symptoms, and to maintain six-feet distance from people they don’t live with.

The positive test adds fuel to growing concern among workers and union leaders that Sacramento County has allowed too many people to return to the office too soon, and without enough COVID-19 safety measures and supplies in place.

Last week, Sacramento County ended paid administrative leave for the roughly 2,800 employees who had begun receiving it since March.

Among the recipients were non-essential employees who couldn’t work from home, and workers particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus — those 65 and older, and those with proven existing health issues.

Since the pandemic began to intensify in March, county workers still coming into work have reported an ongoing shortage of protective measures like plastic barriers between cubicles, hand sanitizer and disinfectant.

“We understand bringing them back, we’re not arguing that point, but we want to make sure they’re safe,” Ted Somera, executive director of United Public Employees, previously told The Bee. “The lack of preparedness from the county is what is the problem.”

In emails to staff, county department directors have said the county has faced the same struggles other local governments and businesses have faced to acquire back-ordered sanitation supplies.