Three staff members at Shoppers Drug Mart in Whistler have now tested positive for COVID-19, according to Loblaws, the store's parent company.
The staff members last worked on Oct. 28 and 31, the company said in an update Nov. 5.
The update comes after it was announced that a staff member at the Whistler Village location—located at 4295 Blackcomb Way—tested positive earlier this week.
Local cases of the virus are starting to rise, and physicians are asking the public to follow the necessary health protocols as winter approaches.
In an emailed response to a request for more detailed information about the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Whistler in recent days, a spokesperson for VCH said the health authority is not able to comment on specific cases.
"We only make public notifications when Public Health is not able to reach all close contacts and determines it is necessary to inform the public about a potential exposure," the spokesperson wrote. "In cases where Public Health is able to contact all cases and close contacts directly and we determine there is no ongoing risk to the public, we will not issue a notification or provide details to protect a patient’s privacy rights."
Posting employee cases for transparency: Loblaws
Loblaw said it is choosing to share updates about positive COVID-19 test results among its staff 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," the company notes on its website.
"In all of our stores, we encourage our colleagues and employees to wear masks, particularly where physical distancing is not always possible," the statement continues.
“Whenever we have a positive case, we arrange for additional cleaning, and we work closely with the local public health unit to determine the appropriate next steps, including identifying and notifying close contacts. Anyone who meets that criteria from the store is asked to go home, self-isolate and monitor for symptoms.
“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. We post any positive cases on our website.”
- With files from Lindsay William-Ross / Vancouver Is Awesome
