The Cle Elum Taco Bell was closed for deep cleaning after a regional employee who visited the location tested positive for COVID-19. The case isn’t from Kittitas County and the Incident Management Team (IMT) was not notified by the Taco Bell Corporation, according to a Kittitas County press release.

IMT says people who ate at the Taco Bell do not have to be concerned about potential exposure from eating at the location. 

The IMT has a list of possible close contacts and is working to gather more information. 

The press release states that the requirement of safety plans for operating businesses provides for mitigating situations like these, and that those situations will continue to happen. 

While establishments aren’t required to contact IMT, protocols must be in place to address staying home when sick, physical distancing, masking, increased hand washing and what steps a business will take if an employee tests positive for COVIF-19. 

“We encourage businesses to coordinate with the IMT,” Health Officer Dr. Mark Larson said.  “Any assistance the county provides us will increase our efficiency in responding if there is a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 that is associated with the establishment.”