Following the presence of a customer at Walmart, who had tested positive for COVID-19, residents are being reminded to maintain safe practices while shopping. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Josh Ryan

Stay aware

Battlefords residents advised to remain vigilant following possible COVID-19 transmission

Jun 2, 2020 | 2:31 PM

Community leaders in the Battlefords are advising the public to keep exercising caution when they leave their homes, following the news over the weekend of possible transmission at the Walmart in North Battleford.

Mayor Ryan Bater said residents need to continue to maintain safe practices when visiting stores, regardless of what businesses they enter.

“We just need to stay vigilant and remember that there is the COVID-19 virus out there and anyone could be carrying it,” he said.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority and Indigenous Services Canada asked residents who visited the store May 21 between 12 to 2 p.m. to “immediately self-isolate if they have had symptoms of COVID-19 and to call HealthLine 811 to arrange for testing.”

Bater said the city has no function with the matter further than to spread awareness.

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“This is something that indigenous Services Canada and the Saskatchewan Health Authority have purview over,” he said.

Bater also said if there are individuals who end up testing positive that can trace transmission back to their visit, don’t expect that information to be pinpointed.

“If they are able to find other people who need to be tested, and then test positive, they will not say which community [those individuals] are from. It will be by the region,” Bater said. “That’s the policy of the SHA to maintain privacy.”

A meadowlakeNOW reporter visited the Walmart on the weekend and said the atmosphere among shoppers appeared very calm. An entrance barrier was in place along with directional arrows and staff members were helpful, although it appeared not all wore face masks.

In an emailed statement to battlefordsNOW, Felicia Fefer, corporate affairs manager with Walmart Canada, said: “We’ve implemented measures to ensure our stores, services and distribution centres are as safe as possible for customers and associates, including in our North Battleford store.”

Some of the measures cited by Fefer in the email were increased cleaning, limiting store customers, wellness checks for employees at the beginning of their shift, encouraging regular handwashing and offering associates gloves, masks, and to regularly clean their work areas.

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports