McDonald’s forces 20,000 staff to wear face masks but restaurants will stay open during Melbourne’s coronavirus lockdown
- McDonald’s staff in locked down Melbourne and Mitchell Shire to wear masks
- Up to 20,000 McDonald’s staff will continue to work at 190 stores in the region
- McDonald’s CEO Andrew Gregory said the chain would replace masks everyday
McDonald’s restaurant workers in locked down areas of Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire will be required to wear face masks.
McDonald’s CEO Andrew Gregory told 3AW 190 stores in the affected Melbourne suburbs and Mitchell Shire would remain open during the stage-three coronavirus lockdown.
He said the fast food chain was implementing a string of restrictions including supplying 20,000 workers with masks.
Up to 20,000 McDonald’s staff are now required to wear masks as 190 restaurants in locked down areas of Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire continue trading (a Melbourne McDonald’s pictured)
‘When the premier made that strong recommendation across the Melbourne metro and Mitchell Shire areas we immediately worked with our suppliers,’ Mr Gregory said.
‘It’s obviously not an easy thing to achieve but we were prepared and we’re really pleased to say now we’ve implemented that at every one of the 190 restaurants that remaining trading in that area.’
To remain in accordance with the level-three lockdown new masks will be distributed to the restaurants daily.
A McDonald’s spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the health and safety of staff and customers was the company’s main priority.
‘At these restaurants, in accordance with level three lock down requirements, we are currently only offering contactless takeaway, drive-thru and McDelivery services,’ the spokeswoman said.
‘This is in addition to the strict health, safety, cleaning and sanitisation practices that we continue to implement across all restaurants.’
A McDonald’s spokeswoman said under level three lock down requirements the restaurants will only offer contactless takeaway, drive-thru and McDelivery services (McDonald’s drive-thru pictured)
The announcement came as Melbourne recorded an eighth consecutive day of triple-figure coronavirus infections on Monday.
Victorian authorities reported 177 new cases which was a decrease from last week’s high of 288.
In response to the surge in cases Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews locked down the Mitchell Shire, Yarra Ranges, Wyndham, Hume, Cardinia and the Mornington Peninsula.
A total of 32 local government areas are being affected by the stage three coronavirus lockdown.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he hoped people across every state took heed of the uptick in cases.
‘We don’t want to have to go back, but that requires everybody to keep showing that discipline,’ he told 2GB radio.
A McDonald’s spokeswoman said the safety of staff and customers was the focus and no patrons will be permitted to sit down and eat at any of the restaurants in the affected areas (Laverton North McDonald’s pictured during lockdown)