Grocery store workers in and around Vancouver continue to be among those still contracting coronavirus (COVID-19), despite sinking infection rates in the province.
And one store has been hit with a case despite ramping up its campaign of vaccinating store staff.
T&T Supermarket reported May 28 that they have one active employee case in B.C.:
- Marine Gateway Store - 458 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver: Part-time store associate last worked May 18.
T&T says that as of May 28 that 83 per cent of the grocery chain's over 5,300 employees have had at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
“We will continue to do all that we can to keep a safe working and shopping environment,” the company said in a post, adding that even if customers are vaccinated, they will still be required to wear a mask while shopping.
T&T has been one of the most transparent companies in B.C., posting each and every staff coronavirus case on its website.
The company's 83 per cent rate as of Monday is impressive compared to vaccination rates in the community. The BCCDC says Burnaby has seen a 41 to 60% vaccination coverage rate of adults who are 18 years of age and older and 61 to 80% for the 55 and older age group.
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 May 29 and 30, indicating cases at the following store locations in the Metro Vancouver region:
- Real Canadian Superstore, 8195 120th Street, Delta: Employee last worked May 24
- Real Canadian Superstore, 350 SE Marine Drive, Vancouver: Employee last worked May 23
Additionally, Loblaw reported new store worker COVID-19 infections across the province in Grand Forks, Mission, Kelowna, and Kamloops.
Sobeys, Inc., which operates familiar grocery stores Safeway and Thrifty Foods and is the franchisor of discount grocery chain FreshCo in B.C. reported one Metro Vancouver employee coronavirus case recently:
- Thrifty Foods - 311 Edgemont Blvd. North Vancouver: Employee last worked May 23
Previously, Sobeys indicated another worker at the North Vancouver Thrifty Foods had tested positive on May 20, and had last worked May 16.
Elsewhere in B.C., Sobeys indicated on May 28 that a Safeway store associate in Kelowna was infected with the virus.
None of the grocery stores with infected store workers in the Lower Mainland appear on public exposure site lists for Fraser Health or Vancouver Coastal Health, and none have been shut down due to cases in the workplace, under current provincial health orders.
- With files from Lindsay William-Ross, Vancouver is Awesome
