Two staffers at a Real Canadian Superstore location in Vancouver have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Loblaw Companies Ltd, the parent company of Real Canadian Superstore, provided updates to its COVID-19 employee case listings on Dec. 10.
The company indicates that the following store is affected:
- Real Canadian Superstore, 3185 Grandview Highway, Vancouver: Two team members tested positive for COVID-19. The last day the team members each worked was on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30.
The Superstore is not considered a COVID-19 public exposure site by Vancouver Coastal Health.
Additionally, Loblaw reports that employees at two of its other chains have new test-positive cases in other parts of the province: A Shoppers Drug Mart in Fort St. John and at a Real Canadian Wholesale Club in Pentiction.
Why do grocery stores report employee cases?
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."
Loblaw-owned T & T Supermarket also posts notifications online when one of its store employees is diagnoses with the virus. The other major grocery chain operating in B.C. to post online store staff member cases is Sobeys, Inc., which operates high-profile chains Safeway, Thrifty's Foods, and the FreshCo franchises.
Save-On-Foods, however, opts to not share store team member case information. The grocery giant has also explained why the province's mandatory mask policy may not be vigilantly enforced in each of its stores.
