UPDATE:
St. Elmo Steak House reopened Monday evening with limited capacity, according to a statement from the company.
The company worked with the Marion County Public Health Department on its reopening plans, according to the statement.
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INDIANAPOLIS — St. Elmo restaurant in downtown Indy is closing for cleaning after multiple employees tested positive for COVID-19.
The restaurant issued a statement Saturday evening saying they learned nine employees had tested positive for the virus.
On Monday afternoon, the company released the following statement:
We are continuing to work with the Marion County Public Health Department on how and when it will be safe to reopen St. Elmo Steak House. We would like to thank Dr. Virginia Caine and the Marion County Public Health Department for providing us with invaluable guidance and best practices to safely reopen. With Dr. Caine’s direction and plan, we have conducted a professional deep cleaning and sanitization of the restaurant and provided employees with the highest and most accurate level of testing. All returning employees will have a negative PCR test result from a Marion County Public Health Department facility or already be fully vaccinated in order to return safely to work. It is our understanding the Marion County Public Health Department has not identified any potential exposure risk to customers based on their contact tracing.
To respect and protect the privacy of all nine employees who tested positive, we will not identify any of these individuals.
The health and safety of our employees and guests has been and will remain our highest priority. We look forward to continuing to serve our guests safely while following best practices.
"Out of an abundance of caution, St. Elmo's has made the decision to close the establishment and conduct a thorough, deep cleaning of the restaurant," the company said in their statement Sunday.
A spokesperson for St. Elmo said they are not sure when they will reopen at this time.
You can read the full statement from the company on Sunday below.
“We recently learned that nine employees have tested positive for COVID. Out of an abundance of caution, St. Elmo’s has made the decision to close the establishment and conduct a thorough, deep cleaning of the restaurant. While we regret not being able to serve our visitors, the safety and well-being of our employees and our guests is our top priority."
The Marion County Health Department released the following statement Sunday after learning of St. Elmo's decision to close.
"Last night, April 3, the Marion County Public Health Department was notified that St. Elmo Steak House was voluntarily and temporarily closing in response to multiple employees testing positive for COVID-19. We are working closely with the establishment to contact trace the reported cases and assess any possible exposures to other employees or customers, as well as provide guidance on sanitizing and safety measures for reopening. Residents and visitors are reminded of the continued importance of wearing a mask, washing hands, and social distancing in public - regardless of vaccine status - to prevent the spread of COVID-19."
