COVID-19: Vendor Tests Positive or Exposed to Someone Who Has

What is a farmers market manager supposed to do if, or when, one of their vendors tests positive for COVID-19?  What is the public health best practices to follow?  And how do we communicate about these actions – with our vendors, customers, and broader community?

The attached Vendor Agreement Addendum addresses your vendors.  It can be added to an existing vendor agreement your vendors have already signed with your market.  It takes into consideration guidance from the CDC, PA Department of Health. See and download the attached market addendum for an editable document.

The Vendor Agreement Addendum is meant to serve as a basic template that you can add to, revise, or modify in whatever way best meets the needs of your market and your vendors. Recognizing the wide variation that exists in farmers markets across the state, the hope is that this addendum template will be a helpful starting point in creating a final addendum that works best for your particular market.

Listed below are additional considerations and resources to help market managers navigate this complex situation.

• Encourage vendors to follow the most up to date guidance from the CDC to take care of themselves and help protect people in their home and community.  More info is available here: What to Do if You Are Sick. 

• If relevant, and possible, close off any areas where the person with probable or confirmed COVID‐19 worked, touched surfaces, etc. until the area and equipment are cleaned and disinfected.  Cleaning guidelines set by the CDC to deep clean and disinfect for COVID-19 available at "Cleaning and Disinfection for Community Facilities."

• Identify any vendors who have been in "close contact" (defined as being within about 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the vendor with a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19.

• Markets are not required to notify the public of a positive COVID-19 case. In the event that a market management decides to notify the public of a positive COVID-19 case,  the management should take into consideration the privacy of the individual and/or business and have a "crisis communication" policy in place.

• Communicate to your vendors that you want to work with them to create a safe and thriving market environment for everyone.

• Consider adding language to your vendor agreement conveying that market policies are subject to change throughout the rest of this season as new information about COVID-19 becomes available, and as public health guidance from the CDC and state/local governments evolves.

• Public Health Safety Measures for Life Sustaining Food Businesses Permitted to Maintain Operations" and CDC guidelines can be found at: "COVID-19 FOOD INDUSTRY GUIDANCE: Public Health Safety Measures for Life Sustaining Food Businesses Permitted to Maintain Operations."

• CDC guidance on home isolation and return to work after receiving a COVID-19 positive test: "Discontinuation of Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 Not in Healthcare Settings."

• For other Department of Health resources call 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258).