Tina C was in a tizzy this morning (Wednesday).
That’s because her favourite grocery store – and the only one she can walk to – has been closed due to COVID-19.
Fraser Health has shut down the Greystone SuperValu at 1601 Burnwood Dr. in North Burnaby for 10 days due to COVID-19, according to a notice on the grocery store’s windows.
The notice says the 10-day closure started as of April 13.
“I’m 78 and don’t drive anymore and this is really close for me,” said Tina (who didn’t want to give her last name) when the NOW visited the store Wednesday morning. “I’m not sure what I’ll do now.”
“A health hazard exists at these premises,” says a Fraser Health closure order posted on the store’s window.
This closure is not listed on the Fraser Health exposures page as of Wednesday at noon. The NOW has reached out to Fraser Health for more details about why the store has to close for 10 days.
Many other grocery stores have had COVID-19 cases involving one or two staff members, but remained open for business.
Two different Safeway stores in Burnaby have seen recent coronavirus cases involving staff.
The latest is the Safeway in Burnaby Heights at 4440 Hastings St., with the worker’s last shift on April 5. Two cases at the Kensington Plaza Safeway store have also been reported so far in April, with the latest case being reported April 9 with the worker’s last shift being on April 1.
Another worker at the Real Canadian Superstore at Metropolis at Metrotown has tested positive for COVID-19, with their last shift worked on April 7. Another staff member also tested positive in recent weeks.
These cases follow recent cases involving staff at the Wholesale Club store on Kingsway in the Metrotown area.
Fraser Health has also recently issued a warning about a COVID-19 exposure at a Burnaby beauty salon. The health authority posted on its website a notification about First Hair and Beauty Studio, warning customers and staff who were at this location from March 23-25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The business is located at 7639 – Sixth St. in the Edmonds neighbourhood.
Burnaby recently set a new weekly record for COVID-19 cases as part of B.C.’s third wave.
New COVID-19 cases in Burnaby exploded during the last reporting period, with 366 new cases reported from March 28 to April 3, according to data from the BC Centre for Disease Control posted on April 7 (weekly case numbers for individual cities are posted every Wednesday afternoon).
Burnaby has seen cases remain above 200 for seven consecutive weeks.
Burnaby saw 244 new infections between March 21 and 27 – more than the 210 new infections between March 14 and 20, but down slightly from the 246 new coronavirus cases from March 7 to 13. There were 203 new cases from Feb. 28 to March 6, 270 new cases from Feb. 21 to 27 and 243 cases from Feb. 14 to 20.
The previous weekly record for Burnaby was 341 cases from Dec. 6-12, 2020.
