HOLLYWOOD HILLS—Rock’n’Roll Ralph’s, the grocery store on Sunset Boulevard, has had 21 confirmed cases of Corona.
Jackie Mayoral is one of the employees who has tested positive. Speaking to NBC4 she said of the ordeal, “This is something that nobody should have to go through, COVID-19 is emotionally and physically and mentally exhausting on my body.”
Several of the employees have contracted the virus despite the precautions taken by the management and staff. The management says that the store has been deep-cleaned twice since April, the last time being as recent as Wednesday.
Since mid-February, the employees have been equipped with gloves, more recently they have also been provided masks. Frequently touched areas in the store are decontaminated every 30 minutes. Plastic shields have been installed at all checkout points for the protection of both employees and customers.
John Votava, the spokesperson for Ralph’s, informed NBC that employees in several stores have tested positive and that the number is in the double digits. He said that despite the Grocery Workers Union’s pressure they are unable to provide in-house testing but the LA county testing site is nearby.
Ralph’s is not the only store where employees are coming down with Coronavirus, a Northgate in San Fernando, and a Covina Walmart Supercenter both have had reported cases. The Health Department’s website emphasizes “inclusion in the list does not suggest neglect or wrongdoing on the part of the facility.”
Mayoral ends the interview with these words “Please make sure your cart is sanitized, that you’re wearing gloves, that you’re wearing a mask. Don’t be oblivious to this, it’s everywhere!”
