S&R places staff in quarantine following visit of Koko Pimentel

S&R Membership Shopping Club in Bonifacio Global City has taken extra disinfection steps and placed several employees in quarantine, after being exposed to Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a statement released Thursday, S&R confirmed that Pimentel entered S&R BGC last Monday, March 16 at 1:59 p.m., as seen in its closed circuit television (CCTV) footage.

"As a result, S&R employees who were in contact with the senator were already placed in quarantine. S&R BGC also took extra disinfection steps," it said.

Pimentel on Wednesday confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19, after a swab was taken last Friday, March 20, 2020.

He claimed he learned of the results while he was already inside the Makati Medical Center (MMC), where he was accompanying his pregnant wife.

Under the DOH protocol, individuals suspected of having been exposed to COVID-19 are prescribed to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

The MMC has since denounced Pimentel's breach of the infection and containment protocols, and decontaminated and disinfected areas visited by the senator.

"We would like to assure S&R members that we are taking measures to maintain the safety of our members. We disinfect our stores daily and ascertain that our staff are clear prior to work," said S&R.

"Shopping carts and handles, front-end belts, item shelves, and registers are kept clean every single day. Our employees are constantly reminded of the safety precautions regarding the virus," it added.

In response to the S&R statement, Pimentel said his test was done only on March 20 or four days after he went to the establishment.

"My test was done at 11 am on March 20, 2020. My result was made known to me at 9 pm on March 24, 2020," he said when sought for comment. —AOL, GMA News