Cooper Service employee tests positive for COVID-19

Tire shop closes down for cleaning, will reopen Monday

TEXARKANA, Ark. — An employee at Cooper Service Texarkana, located on North State Line Avenue, has tested positive for coronavirus, an official said.

The business is closed for cleaning and will reopen Monday.

“This individual is in our thoughts with hopes for a rapid recovery,” said Megan James, Cooper communications manager. ” … The individual had limited close contact with customers and maintained social distancing guidelines. We have notified public health officials who will conduct contact tracing as appropriate.”

Cooper Service closed immediately on Friday after being informed of the employee’s positive results.

The employee last worked at the business on July 7, she said.

Cooper Service, a company-owned store, sells tires and employs a total of 12 people.

“Protecting the health and safety of our customers and employees is our first priority at all times, and certainly during this unprecedented global pandemic,” she said.

Cooper Service is being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and will reopen Monday.

James emphasized that the Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. plant on Washington Street was not the location where

the positive results was reported.

She also addressed the Cooper’s safety practices.

“At all Cooper facilities, including our manufacturing and tire service locations, Cooper operates under a set of comprehensive health and safety protocols that include required employee/contractor health disclosures, social distancing and physical barriers, visitor restrictions, frequent cleaning and disinfecting of facilities, wearing facial coverings where required, etc.,” according to James. “These protocols are in line with recommendations from Cooper’s medical director, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.”