Coronavirus: Vaughan Longo’s store employee tests positive for COVID-19

Globalnews.ca
March 30, 2020
Jessica Patton

A Longo’s in Vaughan says a store employee, along with a Grocery Gateway driver have both tested positive for coronavirus.

A statement on behalf of president and CEO Anthony Longo on Friday said Longo’s “confirmed our first cases of COVID-19 with one driver from our Grocery Gateway division on Wednesday, March 25 and one team member at our Weston Road location on Thursday, March 26.”

The store employee was from a location on Weston Road. Grocery Gateway operates out of a separate facility where online deliveries are picked up by drivers to take to customers. These drivers do not pick up from Longo’s stores.

Once the store found out about the positive test, Longo said they took immediate action and closed the store until Saturday morning, while it, and the driver’s vehicle, undergoes a deep clean “above and beyond our already heightened sanitization procedures.”

He said they are working with public health officials to track down all points of contact from both employees and they will identify any other employees or persons who may have to self-isolate.

Longo said if it affects another employee, they will be compensated while they stay home.

“Longo’s stores and Grocery Gateway have remained proudly open and on the road as essential services, ensuring our communities have access to the food and necessities that they require during COVID-19,” the statement continued.

“As a family business, there is nothing that takes precedence over the wellbeing of our team members and our guests and we continue to take significant measures to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Longo’s has a dedicated webpage on both its websites to COVID-19. Information can be found here and here.