FORT PIERCE – A chain of convenience stores announced the closure of a store after Cumberland Farms tested positive for COVID-19, marking the closure of its first coronavirus-related store on Treasure Coast.
The Massachusetts-based company announced the closure of the store on Virginia Avenue and South 35th St. on August 3.
UK-based Cumberland Farms and EG Group, which acquired the U.S. chain in 2019, created an internet page to report on COVID-19 store closures at their nearly six hundred convenience store service stations in Northeastern and Florida. Approximately 17 are on the treasure coast.
“One of the Cumberland Farms team members at our 2009 Site on South 35th St., Fort Pierce, Florida, informed us that they had conducted tests to detect the new coronavirus (COVID-19),” the company announced Monday. “We take all appropriate measures following the recommendations of local fitness authorities.”
On his website, EG America President George Fournier said the store had cleaning measures.
“All heavy-duty contact points, such as door knobs, coffee handles and distribution devices, are cleaned and disinfected frequently,” Fournier said in the statement. “According to CDC advice, our team members wash their hands more often.”
At some places on Cumberland Farms on Treasure Coast, all store visitors should bring symptoms at the entrances.
The announcement indicated that it would be a few days before the Fort Pierce store reopened after the last Monday at 2:30 p.m. to clean up. An accurate reopening date has been provided.
More: COVID-19 on Treasure Coast: What You Want to Know Tuesday, August 4
More: COVID-19 in Treasure Coast, August 4: Fort Pierce ZIP Code reaches 500 cases
Prior to the announcement of the closure of Fort Pierce COVID-19, only two other Cumberland Farms point-of-sale closures were reported in the state.
According to EG America, on July 10, a Cumberland farm in Titusville, Brevard County, closed and on June 18, a Cumberland farm in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, the first in the state to temporarily close due to the new coronavirus.
Also: When you reopen, what happens if COVID-19 enters the classroom? | Gil Smart
Corey Arwood is a last-minute reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood or call him at 772-978-2246.
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