Employee of downtown doctor’s office tests positive for COVID-19

An employee of a downtown doctor’s office has tested positive for COVID-19 forcing the office to be closed for the remainder of the week.

Dr. Michael Bennett with Guthrie Vision Source says the office will be closed, but is expected to reopen on Monday, June 15.

“We are proactively responding with the extended closure to monitor the health of our staff and to protect our patients,” Bennett said. “We will be contacting all patients who may have been exposed once our staff has all been tested as well.”

According to a statement, the doctor’s office is preparing for extreme cleaning measures to ensure the health and safety of our patients and staff upon re-opening.

Bennett added if any patients had any concerns or questions they could contact the office.

Information of the positive case came late Tuesday evening.

Bennett says the person is not a doctor, but someone who works in the office and has some direct patient care.

The employee believes they were exposed last week when they went out for dinner with friends in Bricktown. 

“They noticed that their sense of taste was off when they could not taste their orange juice,” Bennett said. 

A temperature check revealed to be normal for the employee, along with the related symptoms of the virus (no coughing or breathing issues), but did have a slight headache which was believed to have been allergies.

No other staff members in the office have tested positive for the virus.

“We have been taking all the necessary precautions for the COVID virus ever since the pandemic hit earlier in the year,” Bennett said. “We want to take care of all of our staff and patients in the most safe way we can.”

In case of an emergency this week, Guthrie Eye Care Clinic has offered their services for Guthrie Vision Center.

Guthrie Eye Care Clinic, located at 2114 W. Noble Ave., can be contacted by phone by calling 405-260-2020.

“These are crazy times and we are doing all we can to stop the potential spread of the virus and keep our doctors, staff, patients and all of their families and people they come in contact with as safe as possible,” Bennett added.

Earlier this week, Stacy’s Place announced one of their employee’s had tested positive for the virus causing them to close their doors for the week.

Owner Stacy Smith says majority of her staff have now been tested and so far there have been no additional cases. Related article: Restaurant shuts down temporarily after employee tests positive for COVID-19

According to the State Department of Health, there have been 21 confirmed cases with 18 recoveries and one death in Logan County.

The two positive cases this week are not believed to be reflective in the state’s number of confirmed cases as of Wednesday.