Edinburgh Currys PC World denies telling staff not to reveal Covid-19 cases

A Currys PC World outlet in Edinburgh has denied that it instructed staff not to reveal that it had closed due to a Covid outbreak.

The Fort Kinnaird business shut temporarily on Wednesday, November 18, so that the premises could be disinfected by “fogging” after three members of staff tested positive for coronavirus, and a further five were asked to self-isolate.

On Thursday, a post on the social media site Reddit written by a person who claimed to be a Currys PC World employee, said management at the store had told staff not to disclose the Covid-19 outbreak to customers.

A Currys PC World spokesperson admitted that customers were not told that the store was being “fogged” while it was temporarily closed on Wednesday, but denied there had been any attempt to cover up the coronavirus cases.

A statement from the company read: “There is no greater concern for us than the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues.

“We have closely followed the Government’s ‘working safely during Coronavirus’ guidance throughout the pandemic and have put extensive hygiene and social distancing measures in place to make our sites Covid-secure.

“Unfortunately, three colleagues in our Edinburgh Kinnaird store have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 14 days, thankfully all of whom are doing well and have not been onsite since experiencing symptoms.

“As soon as we were made aware, we quickly instigated our internal track and trace process, through which several additional colleagues were asked to self-isolate, and we temporarily closed the store for ‘fogging’.

“Our store is now re-open, Health Protection Scotland has been informed and we will continue to be vigilant and support our colleagues.”

The anonymous member of staff also alleged that management was “actively discouraging the use of the track and trace app to keep as many staff working as possible”.

The spokesperson for the company denied the claim, and said that, in line with NHS guidance, staff were asked to pause contact tracing app when working at a distance of fewer than two metres while behind perspex screens, because the app only measures distance, and would not take the screens into account.

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