Several more employees at six Loblaw-owned retail stores in Metro Vancouver have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as one in the region at a Sobeys-owned store.
Loblaw Companies Ltd, the parent company of retailers Shoppers Drug Mart, Real Canadian Superstore, and Your Independent Grocer, provided updates to its COVID-19 employee case listings on Nov. 14 and 16. The stores are located across the Lower Mainland, spaning Chilliwack to North Vancouver.
In some cases, the new team member test-positive reports represent an addition to previously-reported cases at a given store as updated on Thursday, Nov. 12.
The following stores are newly affected:
- Real Canadian Superstore, 2855 Gladwin Road, Abbotsford: The last day the team member worked was on November 13.
- Your Independent Grocer, 1255 Davie Street, Vancouver: The last day the team member worked was on November 6.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 333 Seymour Blvd, North Vancouver: The last day the team member worked was on November 9.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 19851 Willowbrook Drive, Langley: The last day the team members worked were on November 6 and November 10.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 45779 Luckakuck Way, Chilliwack: The last day the team member worked was on November 9.
- Shoppers Drug Mart, 20159 88th Ave, Langley: The last day the team member worked was on November 9.
On Friday, Nov. 13, Loblaw indicated workers at two Surrey, B.C. Shoppers Drug Mart locations had been confirmed as testing positive for the coronavirus.
Employee with virus at FreshCo in Surrey
Sobeys, Inc, the parent company of Safeway, FreshCo, and Thrifty stores in the province, has indicated that an employee at the FreshCo store at 7450 120 St; in Surrey has tested positive for COVID-19.
The last day the employee worked was November 10, says Sobeys.
None of the grocery store locations are listed as potential COVID-19 public exposure sites by Fraser Health or Vancouver Coastal Health.
"We will continue to update the COVID-19 tracker below to be transparent with you where we have been notified of cases of COVID-19 in our stores," writes Sobeys.
"Out of respect for our teammates and their confidentiality, we will never release any personal information about our people. We will always do everything we can to support our teammates and ensure their safety."
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."
In British Columbia, only Sobeys and Loblaw maintain public web portals for sharing test-positive case information regarding workers in their stores.
