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Amazon employee in Rockville tests positive for coronavirus

Temperature checks are being conducted on more than 100,000 Amazon employees per day, and anyone with a fever above 100.4F cannot work that day's shift.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — An Amazon employee at a Rockville facility has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an Amazon spokesperson. Employees who test positive can receive up to two weeks of pay while they are home from work, according to Amazon. 

"We are supporting the individual who is recovering," an Amazon spokesperson said. "We are following guidelines from health officials and medical experts, and are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site." 

Any employee who had contact with the infected person will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, and will be paid for their time off, according to Amazon. All hourly employees can also take unlimited unpaid time off through the end of April.

Temperature screenings before beginning a shift are also being conducted, and Amazon said they are testing more than 100,000 employees per day. If a temperature above the CDC-recommended 100.4F is recorded, the employee will not be allowed to work that day, but will be paid for up to five hours of the scheduled shift, an Amazon spokesperson said. 

Masks, disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer are being made available at all Amazon locations, and employees are required to clean their work stations and vehicles at the beginning and end of every shift. 

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