SAN FRANCISCO—On Tuesday, June 9, Bay Area Rapid Transit officials learned that one of their employees tested positive for COVID-19. The employee’s job included working inside of BART stations as well as the trains themselves.
According to BART officials their “contact tracing shows the employee had no close contact with the public.” Due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy requirements, BART officials did not release the name of the employee.
The BART employee’s last shift before testing positive for COVID-19 was on Sunday, June 7. The employee is now in quarantine, as well as other employees who came into contact with the individual. According to BART officials, the employee wore a mask and gloves during their shifts prior to being tested.
All BART train cars are fogged by crews with disinfectant; train poles are wiped down with disinfectant at the end of the line during service hours; station touchpoints are wiped down multiple times each day. Facial coverings are required for riders. Employees are provided with hand sanitizer, facial coverings, and Personal Protective Equipment when necessary.
This is the first time a frontline BART employee has tested for COVID-19. Two other employees with no public contact tested positive in the past. Those employees’ contact tracing with the public was negative as well. Both individuals have now fully recovered.
