No Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 14
Communication Breakdown; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
We were advised that someone had tested positive for COVID.  It had been a long period of time since they were in the building.  It was during the mid shift; so they didn't have contact with anyone.  The TRACON was shutdown and relocated to ZZZ1 Tower at XA:0L on a weekday.  This is a busy day of the week and time for us.  The functionality of working from the Tower is limited.  It also requires all radar sectors to be combined.  The volume and complexity was far too great at this time of day.  Even with trying to limit operations the radar scope was too cluttered.  There were many uncontrolled VFR's.  The data blocks overlapped and the Mode-C was unreadable.  Traffic workload was high.  We asked ZZZ2 Traffic Management Unit (TMU) for 20 Miles In Trail (MIT); but that was not adhered to. Communications were also difficult.  We asked all surrounding facilities to use a single frequency but that was not always followed.  VFR's calling for service were using published frequencies.There was no reason to rush this cleaning.  Everyone in the facility had already been exposed for hours; if not days.  Waiting until XF:00L would have ensured traffic volume and complexity was light enough to work from a reduced area such as ZZZ1 Tower.  The rush for cleaning was not worth the safety risk to the flying public.
TRACON Controller reported the facility went to ATC Zero after someone tested positive for COVID-19. Controller stated they were moved to the Local Tower and worked from there.  Reporter advised the move could have been delayed to a non-busy time due to everyone already being exposed.