A McDonald's employee tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday, prompting the closure and sanitization of the Austin Avenue location and self-quarantine of crew members who are thought to have come into close contact with the person.
The infected staff member last worked at the 1131 Austin Avenue location on Oct. 25 from 4:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the fast food chain, who confirmed the details of the positive case. It’s not clear if any customers were exposed in the course of the employee’s shift.
Anyone who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 is encouraged to get tested.
After a “thorough cleaning and sanitation by a certified third party,” the restaurant has now reopened, wrote spokesperson Ryma Boussoufa.
Like thousands of dining establishments across the province, the fast-food chain has implemented a number of health and safety measures, including access to hand sanitizer dispensers, regular sanitization of high-touch points, floor markers to help maintain physical distance and protective screens at the front counters, among other changes.
The Austin Avenue McDonald’s is one of several COVID-19 exposures publicly acknowledged in the Tri-Cities over the last week. Fraser Health is warning of potential public exposures at two restaurants in Port Moody and a Port Coquitlam yoga and fitness studio remains closed after a cluster of cases were linked across at least five classes.
There are currently 12 active school exposure investigations across School District 43, including one reported Thursday morning at Blakeburn elementary.
