A staff member at a Shoppers Drug Mart store in Vancouver has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Loblaw Companies Ltd, the parent company of Shoppers Drug Mart provided the update to its COVID-19 employee case listings on Nov. 20.
The following store is affected:
- Shoppers Drug Mart, 3277 Cambie Street, Vancouver: The last day the team member worked was on November 12.
Vancouver Coastal Health does not consider this location the site of a possible COVID-19 public exposure.
Additionally, Loblaw indicated a worker at Kevin's Your Independent Grocer in Fernie, in B.C.'s Interior Health Authority region, has also tested positive.
Loblaw says they share updates about test-positive COVID cases in their stores in order to maintain transparency.
"In these cases, we work closely with public health and follow their guidance to ensure proper notification of close contacts and required cleaning and sanitization in our stores," notes the company.
When there are employee virus cases, Loblaw notes: “Generally, the risk to our customers remains low, due to the physical distancing and sanitization measures that have been in place in our stores for months."
New mandatory mask measures in B.C.
On Nov. 19, B.C.'s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry leveraged the Emergency Act to mandate all staff and customers wear masks at indoor retail outlets.
Henry said she contacted the Ministry of Public Safety and the Solicitor General Wednesday to roll out the order after consulting with retail and business associations. The Retail Association of Canada had urged B.C. health authorities to institute a mandatory mask policy the same day.
"In all of our stores, we encourage our colleagues and employees to wear masks, particularly where physical distancing is not always possible," says Loblaw. In fact, at their T&T Supermarket, Real Canadian Superstore, and No Frills stores, the company has mandated that staff and customers wear masks since the summer.
With files from Stefan Labbé/Tri-City News
