Amazon in contact with coronavirus test makers as it plans pandemic response

Amazon.com Inc has been in contact with the CEOs of two coronavirus test makers as it considers how to screen its staff and reduce the risk of infection at its warehouses, according to internal meeting notes seen by Reuters.

The chief executives of Abbott Laboratories and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc have told Amazon they would like to work with the e-commerce company, though the U.S. government is taking up all of their testing capacity at present, the notes said.

The company also discussed whether it could start such tests in at least one warehouse near its Seattle headquarters, the status of which was unclear. The nature of Amazon’s conversations with the test makers and the exact assistance they might offer were unclear.

The document separately indicated Amazon is looking into the ability to screen more than one person at a time for the virus, and it also wants to partner with a medical organization in its testing efforts. It did not give further details on multi-person testing or name a partner.

Abbott and Thermo Fisher did not return a request for comment late Friday. Amazon declined to comment.

Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, is rolling out face masks and temperature checks for workers at all its U.S. and European warehouses by next week.

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