GS HomeShopping closed over employee's coronavirus infection

GS HomeShopping has temporarily closed its headquarter in western Seoul, Thursday, amid confirmation of an employee being infected with the new coronavirus Wednesday evening. / Yonhap

By Kim Jae-heun

GS HomeShopping suspended operations, Thursday, following confirmation that a staff member was infected with the new coronavirus. The company will not air its live shows until 6:00 a.m., Saturday.

The infected employee is a family member of another patient, the 15th victim of the epidemic here who was diagnosed Sunday. The home shopping employee had been attending the office until last Friday but was told to work from home from the next day. The employee tested positive for the virus Wednesday evening.

Despite confirmation of the employee's coronavirus infection, GS HomeShopping told other employees to come to work. It also continued to run the nursery operating within its headquarters until Thursday morning. Furthermore, the company failed to notify its staff of the news.

Strong pressure rose internally as well as from outside the company to shut down operations before the afternoon on the same day.

Following the shutdown, GS HomeShopping ordered the infected employee's colleague in the same team to work from home for two weeks. Only people necessary for re-runs will work onsite as the company decided to cancel all live broadcasts.

The company will carry out disinfection operations for two days while checking if there are other employees suspected to have contracted the coronavirus.

GS HomeShopping's case has caused alarm for other home shopping companies.

Hyundai HomeShopping has ordered all employees to wear face masks at all times, while banning visitors who refuse to wear one.

“We have restricted elevator operations in our building to the underground parking lot. We are operating a thermal imaging camera to check our employees' body temperatures at all times and those who are suspected of having the virus will be sent home to work under quarantine” Hyundai HomeShopping official said.

Also, it recommended employees not to meet their counterparts at partner companies and instead to communicate by phone.

Those who work with GS HomeShopping will be restricted from entering the Hyundai HomeShopping building.

CJ O Shopping has also banned its partner companies' staff from entering its building in a preventive measure to prevent the spread of the virus.

Employees' overseas trips have all been postponed and those who have recently returned are going through health checks twice a day.

CJ O Shopping said it is also checking the health of television show guests appearing on home shopping programs.

“Our staff are checking their body temperature frequently to make sure no one showing symptoms of the coronavirus are coming into contact with our employees,” CJ O Shopping official said.

Lotte HomeShopping said it is taking the same preventive measures as others.

“We had recommended our employees wear face masks until today but now it is mandatory to do so. We have installed thermal imaging cameras in the building as well to consistently check the temperatures of staff. We will carry out disinfection work over the weekend too,” a Lotte HomeShopping official said.