The Government of Ontario has ordered two Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) fulfillment centres partially closed to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
Peel Public Health announced on Saturday that it has partially closed two Amazon fulfilment centres to control the spread of COVID-19 outbreaks in those workplaces. The centres are located in Brampton and Bolton, Ontario. The businesses were required to close at midnight on Friday.
Peel Region is located northwest of Toronto. The public health unit for that region said the centres have been closed under “Section 22” of Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act. Peel Public Health added that its closures apply to businesses that have had five or more COVID-19 cases that were acquired in the workplace over a span of two weeks.
Dr. Lawrence Loh, Peel Region’s Medical Officer of Health, said the closures are an attempt to protect the community. He added that Peel has several workplaces where workers cannot work from home and where they are precariously or temporarily employed.
In a written statement, Amazon said three shifts at the Brampton facility and one shift in Bolton are being temporarily suspended.
“Following the direction of Peel Public Health, we are temporarily suspending a number of shifts at our (Brampton) and Bolton facilities,” the company said in a written statement. “We have 18 shifts operating at our (Brampton) facility and 18 shifts at our Bolton facility. All employees will receive full pay and benefits.”