“First and foremost, our thoughts are with our entire team and we wish them all the best in a speedy recovery,” Getz said. “It’s fair to say COVID doesn’t pick where it goes or how it gets there. So, I think this week and the last few weeks have been a very challenging point in time for the whole community of St. Paul. It is starting to move more aggressively and more like a wildfire.”
Getz said all of the staff members involved were at home self-isolating prior to receiving the positive COVID-19 results on Thursday.
“When we see the spikes in cases in Alberta, unfortunately it’s bound to hit home and it has hit home,” Getz said of the St. Paul community.
The food store’s deli and pharmacy departments are both closed, as is the convenience store at the gas bar as deep cleaning is undertaken and staffing is addressed in those areas. Close contacts are required to self-isolate as mandated by Alberta Health. Customers can contact the Vermilion Pharmacy location at 1-866-853-4119 if they require a prescription order.
“It’s fair to say the spread did not happen at the Co-op but that it was brought in. We are continuing to exceed the measures that we need to take to avoid and mitigate any spreading that may or may not have occurred,” Getz said, adding it has been a challenging week for the Co-op as it focuses on to its guiding principle to “help make lives better in our communities and taking the measures we need to take to keep our team and our community save – that’s really what this whole week has been boiled down to.”
While the Co-op convenience store is closed and some employees have been directed to self-isolate, pay at the pump is available 24/7 for fuel.
“We have a priority list and our gas bar to provide fuel is on that priority list and is a necessity to our community and a requirement that we don’t take lightly. So, we are happy we can still dispense fuel. The other one for sure is our pharmacy. We have all hands on deck to look at our contingency plan and look at what we can do to reopen our pharmacy in a reliable fashion as quick as possible,” Getz said.
The bakery was impacted earlier this week, closing temporarily while a deep cleaning was undertaken in that department. The bakery has since reopened.
“I’m so pleased with how the entire team and the community has already supported us with this, with phone calls of support, the private messages, public messages – it just shows how strong and resilient our community is and how supportive our community is,” Getz said, adding it is important people pay heed to Dr. Deena Hinshaw's words yesterday reminding all Albertans that COVID-19 is not restricted by geographical boundaries.
