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The Oswego County Health Department today announced a confirmed case of COVID-19 in an employee of a grocery store in Hannibal.
Anyone who visited Tops Friendly Market at 409 Fulton St. in Hannibal on Thursday, Oct. 22 between 1 and 7 p.m. may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang said members of the public who visited the store during this time should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, or gastrointestinal illness.
People experiencing symptoms should call their health care provider from home. People should not go to emergency departments unless they are experiencing life-threatening symptoms.
“The location was made public because our investigation shows there is a possibility of exposure to members of the public whom we could not track down,” said Huang. “This is consistent with our policy of notifying the public when investigations of positive cases determine there is a possibility that people who couldn’t be identified or contacted may have been exposed.”
Tops Friendly Markets Public and Media Relations Manager Kathy Sautter offered reassurance stating, “Out of an abundance of caution, our store has been deep cleaned and sanitized since the time the employee last worked.”
She continued, “From the onset of COVID-19, Tops has enhanced safety measures at all of its stores, including the store in Hannibal. These measures include the installation of Plexiglas, social distance guidelines and hand sanitizers. We also instituted the wearing of face masks by all Tops associates and customers which is mandated by New York State. All of these measures help to ensure the health and well-being of both our customers as well as our employees.”
Oswego County officials said it is imperative for people to practice social distancing and take personal responsibility for preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
“Social distancing will help reduce the spread of the virus and limit your chance of exposure,” said Huang. “That’s why it is so important that we all follow the crucial measures I’ve outlined below.”
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Wear a face mask or covering over your nose and mouth.
- Avoid non-essential gatherings of all types.
- Limit the size and number of social gatherings.
- Keep six feet from other people.
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Call your healthcare provider from home if you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, cough or shortness of breath.
- Do not go to the emergency department unless you are experiencing life-threatening conditions.
Residents are asked to continue monitoring reliable sources of information. Go to oswegocounty.com or health.oswegocounty.com/covid-19 for the latest news releases, updates and video presentations. For more information go to cdc.gov.
Additional questions can be directed to the Oswego County Health Department COVID-19 hotline at 315-349-3330 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For information about emotional supports, visit the Oswego County Department of Social Services Division of Mental Hygiene at www.oswegocounty.com/mentalhygiene.
Oswego County presents videos highlighting various COVID-19 topics on Tuesday afternoons. They are posted on Oswego County’s COVID-19 playlist on YouTube, Facebook and the county government website at oswegocounty.com.
New York State provides online links to report violations of health and safety restrictions and requirements for businesses, gatherings and individuals. To file a complaint about a business, location or incident in your community, go to https://mylicense.custhelp.com/app/ask. To file a complaint against your employer or place of work, go to https://labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/coronavirus-complaints.shtm.
Under New York State Public Health Law, the Oswego County Health Department is the sole local public health authority regarding the COVID-19 pandemic response over all persons and entities within the County of Oswego. The Oswego County Health Department works closely with New York State Department of Health regarding COVID-19 monitoring, response and reporting.
