Multiple workers at major grocery stores operating across British Columbia have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) over the past few days, including several in Metro Vancouver.
Stores with affected employees are located throughout the Lower Mainland in Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions, including in Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, and Surrey.
Loblaw Companies Ltd, the parent company of Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, and other local chains, provided updates to its COVID-19 employee case listings on March 6, 7, and 8, indicating cases at the following store locations in the Metro Vancouver region:
- Hakam's Your Independent Grocery, 20678 Willoughby Centre Dr., Langley: The last day the team member worked was on Feb. 25.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 7550 King George Boulevard, Surrey: The last day the two team members each worked was on Feb. 24 and March 3.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 3000 Lougheed Hwy., Coquitlam: The last day the two team members each worked was on Feb. 24 and March 3.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 350 S.E. Marine Dr, Vancouver: The last day the team member worked was on March 3.
- Ray's No Frills, 34249 Marshall Rd, Abbotsford: The last day the team member worked was on March 6.
While T&T Supermarket is owned by Loblaw, the Canadian Asian grocery chain lists its COVID-19 cases separately on its own site.
On March 7, T&T's case tracker indicated two backroom associates from two Metro Vancouver stores have. tested positive for the virus:
- Kingsway Store - 2206 Kingsway, Vancouver: The last day the associate worked was March 5.
- Metrotown Store - #147-4800 Kingsway, Burnaby: The last day the associate worked was March 5.
Sobeys, Inc, the parent company of Safeway and franchisor of discount grocery chain FreshCo, has recently indicated on its case tracker that employees working at three of its Metro Vancouver stores have tested positive for the virus. The affected stores are as follows:
- Safeway, 990 – King Edward Ave West, Vancouver: The last day the employee worked was on Feb. 28.
- Safeway, 1100 – 2850 Shaughnessy St., Port Coquitlam: The last day the employee worked was on Feb. 26.
- FreshCo, 300-20201 Lougheed Highway, Maple Ridge: The last day the employee worked was on Feb. 23.
None of the grocery stores are considered coronavirus public exposure sites by Fraser Health or Vancouver Coastal Health.
COVID-19 cases trending high in B.C., vaccinations rolling out
While B.C. is getting some good news when it comes to the likely future supply of COVID-19 vaccines, many metrics to chart the spread of the virus in B.C. are trending in the wrong direction.
Health officials reported 634 new infections on Friday, the second-highest daily total of new cases to-date in 2021.
Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix are expected to provide an update on COVID-19 in the province on Monday afternoon, reflecting the last three 24-hour periods.
This weekend, Vancouver Coastal Health announced it will have 25 locations providing vaccinations as part of Phase 2 of the province's COVID-19 Immunization Plan. Similarly, Fraser Health has listed its 22 COVID-19 vaccine clinic locations.
Bookings for appointments for B.C. seniors 90 years of age and older (born in 1931 or earlier), Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) individuals 65 years of age and older (born in 1956 or earlier) and Indigenous Elders open March 8, and appointments begin March 15.
With files from Brendan Kergin/Vancouver Is Awesome and Glen Korstrom/Glacier Media
