Here’s what Bellingham Cold Storage did after boat infected with coronavirus left
When a fishing trawler that had workers infected with the coronavirus arrived at Bellingham Cold Storage last week, the facility had a set of procedures in place that, by early indications, appear to have worked.
Eighty-six crew members of the American Dynasty trawler that unloaded fish product last week have tested positive for COVID-19, according to operator American Seafoods in a press release Sunday evening, May 31. Nine tests were still outstanding.
Discovering that the trawler had crew members who tested positive for the virus set off a series of procedures that were originally put in place on March 13, said Doug Thomas, president of Bellingham Cold Storage.
After the American Dynasty departed Bellingham at 2:38 a.m. on Sunday, May 31, Bellingham Cold Storage completed two hours of industrial approved levels of ozone treatment, followed by wipe downs inside all the spaces that were occupied by its workers involved in the handling of the vessel, Thomas said in an email to The Bellingham Herald. That included offices, lunchrooms, restrooms and hallways.
As of Monday morning, June 1, Thomas said no employees are symptomatic. As a precaution, Bellingham Cold Storage will continue temperature and wellness checking any of the employees who were near the vessel for at least 14 days. Thomas said those employees will also take the COVID-19 tests over the next several days.
Throughout the pandemic Bellingham Cold Storage has not had an employee test positive to the virus, Thomas said.
It’s the Port of Bellingham’s understanding that Bellingham Cold Storage is going above and beyond any required procedures to protect the health and safety of their workers and the community, said Mike Hogan, a spokesman for the agency.
“All crew members from the American Dynasty have been quarantined at American Dynasty’s homeport in Seattle and BCS has been working cooperatively with the Whatcom County Health Department, the CDC, U.S. Coast Guard, American Seafoods and the Port of Bellingham,” Hogan said in an email.
