Employees of several grocery and drug store chains across the Lower Mainland have recently tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
This comes after 11 workers from stores in Burnaby, Surrey, Coquitlam, Langley, and Vancouver were reported last week. Similar to that week, most of the infections come from stores owned by Loblaw Companies Ltd., the parent company of Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, Wholesale Club, and Your Independent Grocer. Loblaw updated its COVID-19 employee case tracker May 11-13 with the following new store worker cases across the Lower Mainland:
- Real Canadian Superstore, 4651 No. 3 Road, Richmond, B.C. The last day the team member worked was on May 6.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 32136 Lougheed Highway, Mission, B.C. The last day the team member worked was on April 29.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 32136 Lougheed Highway, Mission, B.C. The last day the team member worked was on May 5.
- Dean's No Frills Vancouver, 4508 Fraser Street, Vancouver, B.C. The last day the team member worked was on May 2.
- Dean's No Frills Vancouver, 4508 Fraser Street, Vancouver, B.C. The last day the team member worked was on May 4.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 350 S.E. Marine Dr, Vancouver, B.C. The last day the team member worked was on May 3.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 350 S.E. Marine Dr, Vancouver, B.C. The last day the team member worked was on May 5.
- Shoppers Drug Mart, 3020 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. The last day the team member worked was on May 8.
While T&T Supermarket is owned by Loblaw, the Canadian Asian grocery chain lists its COVID-19 cases separately on its own site and has had no employee at work in the last two weeks who has since tested positive for the virus.
Sobeys Inc., which operates B.C. chains Thrifty Foods and Safeway, and is the franchisor of discount grocery company FreshCo, reported three cases last week where the employees’ last day worked was between May 2-5.
None of the infections are considered a public exposure by either Vancouver Coastal Health or Fraser Health, and none of the stores have been shut down by the health authority or WorkSafeBC.
Earlier this month both Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health announced they were prioritizing frontline workers, including adult grocery store staff, for COVID-19 vaccination.
- With files from Lindsay William-Ross
