A Canton Waffle House Closes After an Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19

A Waffle House at 1849 Marietta Highway in the northwest Georgia city of Canton closed Tuesday after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Canton is 40 miles north of Atlanta in Cherokee County.

A statement provided to the media from Waffle House director of public relations Njeri Boss indicates the employee has not worked at that location or any other area Waffle House locations since March 1. The person is currently under quarantine at home, after being released from the hospital.

“We continue to work with state and local health department personnel for guidance. Our main concern has been, and will continue to be, the safety of our Associates and Customers,” Boss says in the official statement.

According to Boss, 12 employees who worked at the restaurant with the affected person have been notified to self-quarantine at home through Saturday. None have shown symptoms of the virus.

“We are paying the quarantined Associates for any hours they were scheduled to work through Saturday, March 14,” Boss tells Eater Atlanta.

While the restaurant is closed, it will be thoroughly sanitized and then undergo a planned remodeling and maintenance updates. Boss says they hope to reopen the location on Sunday, barring any renovation delays.

Eater reached out to the Cherokee County Health Department for further details.

There are now six confirmed and 16 presumptive COVID-19 cases in Georgia, as of Wednesday, March 11, according to the state Department of Public Health.

1849 Marietta Highway, Canton, Georgia