Webasto HQ to re-open today following closure due to Coronavirus

Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority applauds decisive action taken by German manufacturer in wake of coronavirus infection at its main office.

After a voluntary two-week closure, marine and automotive equipment manufacturer Webasto Group will re-open its Stockdorf, Germany corporate headquarters and research and development facility today (February 12^th).

The company elected to close its Stockdorf facility last month (January 29^th) after it was confirmed that employees working there had been exposed to the coronavirus. The virus is believed to have been introduced to the facility by an employee from China who visited for business meetings in January. When that individual fell ill upon returning home, around 180 employees at the Stockdorf facility were tested for the virus by local doctors, with eight individuals testing positive.

Since the voluntary office closure was implemented, more than 1,000 Webasto employees have worked from home whilst a specialist organisation has been engaged to clean and disinfect all workstations, meeting rooms, kitchens and sanitary facilities at the building in accordance with EU directives.

Dr Holger Engelmann, chair of the management board of Webasto SE, said, “We are relieved that no new cases of illness have arisen among our employees since the beginning of last week. However, we remain cautious because we still know so little about this virus. But it appears we have been able to interrupt the chain of infection without our company thanks to the rapid and decisive action we have taken.”

The eight infected Webasto employees remain in hospitals in Munich and in the county of Traunstein.

Engelmann commented, “We are in frequent contact with all of the patients are pleased that some of them have already made a full recovery are likely to be released soon. The past weeks have been hugely stressful, particularly for those colleagues who tested positive and for their families. Above all, they now need some time for themselves and for their relatives.”

Source: IBI News

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