To our members and community,

Yesterday we learned that a Hunger Mountain Co-op employee tested positive for COVID-19. The employee last worked at the Co-op on Saturday, May 8. To our knowledge, they did not contract the virus at work and never exhibited symptoms here. Given their workstation is away from the sales floor, it is highly unlikely that any shoppers could be considered a close contact, defined as at least 15 minutes cumulative over a 24-hour period within 6 feet of someone who is infected.

We have spoken with the Vermont Department of Health and are supporting their contact tracing efforts. As part of our regular policy, we ask that any staff exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illness or fever stay home and seek medical attention. Our co-op has generous paid time off and paid leave policies to support employees who cannot work.

This is a good reminder that we need to maintain safety procedures until the risk of community spread of COVID-19 is further diminished. That is why despite the recent CDC change in guidance, the Co-op will continue to require everyone to wear facial coverings while in our building. Additionally, we ask that you avoid the Co-op if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and observe social distancing of 6 feet to the extent possible.

For our part, the Co-op will continue to:

• Provide access to hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes.
• Limit the number of shoppers in the store at one time to provide ample spacing for distancing.
• Offer our Curbside Pick-Up program to all Co-op members featuring over 5,000 products with no service fees and contactless pick-up seven days a week.

After a difficult year, we have made incredible progress in limiting the spread of COVID. Thank you for helping us keep our community safe.

Stay connected with the Co-op by signing up for our biweekly eNews (at the bottom of our homepage), checking our Facebook and Instagram pages and looking for updated in-store signage for the most up-to-date information about shopper protocols, product availability, and operational adjustments.

All our best to you and your loved ones,

Kari Bradley, General Manager