Why Some Grocery Stores Close And Some Stay Open When An Employee Has COVID-19

The Braemar Atlantic Superstore in Dartmouth is closed again today, Friday April 17, as another employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19. The employee last worked yesterday, April 16th. It is expected that the location will reopen tomorrow. This is the third time the grocery store has closed in the last few weeks due to an employee being diagnosed with COVID-19.

Grocery stores are an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic. A few readers have reached out asking why some grocery stores close and others don’t.

When an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19 it isn’t a requirement of Nova Scotia Public Health that the grocery store be closed. Public Health feels that the rigorous cleaning and social distancing protocols that major chains like Sobeys and Atlantic Superstore have in place are keeping the public safe.

Sobeys COVID-19 Response:

In a statement to Nova Scotia Buzz right before an employee tested positive, Sobeys said “We have a clear protocol in place when an employee tests positive for COVID-19 and that could certainly include the closure of a department or the entire store temporarily for deep cleaning.”

“In our experience in other provinces so far, however, a closure for this reason has been relatively rare. In many cases, we have already completed the cleaning protocol that Public Health is advising as a result of regular, daily sanitizing activities that have taken place since the time of possible exposure.”

When a case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in an employee at the Forrest Hills Sobeys location in Cole Harbour, the store remained open.

They told us after this, “As an essential service in communities across Canada, our top priority is to keep our customers and our teammates safe. We are working around the clock to make that a reality. We are thinking about our teammate and all Canadians fighting this virus, and send our most sincere hopes for a speedy recovery.”

Atlantic Superstore’s COVID-19 Response:

We reached out to Atlantic Superstore and asked why they close their locations when an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19.  Their response was, “We made a corporate decision that health and safety needs to be our top priority and we have a responsibility to do what we can to protect our customers and colleagues. That is why we have instituted so many measures in our stores.”

“We decided that we would temporarily close any store where a colleague tested positive for COVID-19. We are not required to by Public Health but do so because we feel it’s the right thing to do.”

“By closing, it gives us a chance to reach out to our colleagues, customers and other partners.  It also allows us to go above and beyond when it comes to ensuring the store is safe. We do a deep cleaning and sanitization and hire a third party professional cleaner. They are expert and they provide us with the service and advice.”

“We are continuing to pay colleagues impacted by COVID-19, so no one has to choose between their income and their health.”

Besides closing when an employee is diagnosed, Atlantic Superstore has increased sanitization processes, including frequent deep cleaning in all areas of the store. They have reduced store hours so that their teams have more time to clean, and rest. They are also limiting the number of people in their busiest stores and ensuring that they’re allowing the space for customers to adhere to 2-meter social distancing.

What you should know:

As long as you’re taking the precautions that Public Health is directing Nova Scotians to follow you are doing your part. Just as the grocery stores and the frontline employees are doing their part to maintain clean and sanitary stores to the standards of Public Health.

Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer has recommended Nova Scotians choose one member of their household to make a weekly trip for essentials like groceries. You can even go beyond this as he suggested by coordinating with neighbours to have one person go pick up groceries for people and families close by. This further reduces the amount of people in public and the chances of contracting COVID-19.