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There’s double-double trouble in Livermore this week where an In-N-Out temporarily closed its doors after reports of sickened customers. The fast food restaurant remains closed today as the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health performs ongoing inspections.
Players on a college softball team say they fell ill with symptoms of acute gastroenteritis after a trip to the restaurant on May 6. In-N-Out elected to close its doors at 1881 N. Livermore Avenue at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday and stayed closed throughout the day yesterday. The Environmental Health Department says norovirus, the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, is suspected but not confirmed.
In a statement shared with the media, In-N-Out vice president of operations Denny Warnick cited “an abundance of caution” as cause for the closure. “[We] voluntarily closed the store, undertook an investigation and notified the local health department in accordance with our safety protocols,” Warwick said. “Our investigation did not turn up any indication that there were any issues at our restaurant. Nevertheless, we thoroughly cleaned and disinfected the entire facility and screened our staff of Associates. We are confident that our customers are safe to dine with us and will re-open once the health department completes their assessment.”
Speaking to ABC7, Livermore Mayor John Marchand commended In-N-Out’s proactive approach. "They know how popular this is,” said Marchand, “so if there's any question in their mind, they want to make sure that no one, no individual's going to be put at risk.”