With Its Own Testing, Shipyard Employee Positive For Coronavirus

GROTON, CT — Electric Boat president Kevin Graney said the first COVID-19 case was identified through company testing Friday.

The submarine builder began its own testing program last week and of the 600 tested, he said there was one positive case, noting the employee had no symptoms.

A second case came to light over the weekend, "as a result of a test taken with their personal physician due to a spouse who was exhibiting symptoms."

Graney said EB's COVID-19 antigen and antibody testing of employees is still underway.

Antigen testing, the nasal swab, determines if an employee currently has the virus; antibody testing, the finger prick test, determines whether someone has developed antibodies against COVID-19.

Graney said nine people tested positive for antibodies.

"Of those, seven were already known to have had the virus. That means two people tested positive for antibodies that were not previously known," he said.

Graney said that EB is "ahead of other companies who are just now thinking about how they will monitor and test employees to ensure their safety."

"I continue to strongly encourage all employees to get tested. Testing is critical for understanding how COVID-19 is spreading at EB and within our communities," he said in a message to employees.

Graney also noted that production has "fallen behind."

"...we must make up for lost productivity as a result of the slowdown our response to the pandemic has caused – simply put, we are falling behind in all aspects of our business, so we will have ground to make up over time," he said.

"Your safety is and will continue to be my number-one priority. Over the last 120 years, our company has adapted to the times in which we live. Long before COVID-19, our company was undergoing a culture change that was very much needed. I believe our response to this crisis has accelerated that culture change and has taught us how to adapt quickly to a rapidly changing environment. I think we are better for it and now must leverage that experience to become a better team. We solve complicated problems every day. Now, we must use that know-how to help achieve our future," he wrote.