Omnicom Media Group closed two of its Fitzrovia district facilities in the U.K. due to concerns related to an employee returning from a trip to Australia, with a flight connection through Singapore, that showed flu-like symptoms in the midst of spread of the coronavirus.
Omnicom Media Group U.K. explained the reasoning for the facilities closing in a statement, calling the decision “a precautionary measure.” Around 1,000 employees work out OMG’s facilities in Crescent and Kings Cross are now required to work from home until “definite results of the the employee’s coronavirus test is confirmed.” Offices will potentially reopen Monday, pending the results.
In the statement, OMG U.K. CEO Dan Clays stressed that “the risk of the test being positive is minimal.” Out of over 7,000 tests for the virus in the country, only 13 have tested positive for coronavirus so far.
“Although we do not have confirmation of anyone working for OMG U.K. being diagnosed with the coronavirus, the health and wellbeing of our people is our primary concern and we will take precautionary measures necessary to protect both our employees and clients,” Clays said in a statement. “As such, we have asked all our U.K. employees to work remotely for a short period of time until we have clarity of this situation and to follow the advice from Public Health England.”